Leanne Jennifer Gibbs
by Green-Dragon-of-the-East
Summary: What if Gibbs was a woman? Warning this story contains a female Gibbs who drinks coffee, slaps DiNozzo and has PMS.
1. Yankee White, beta read

Summary: A simple what if Gibbs was a woman.

Warning: This story is AU and contains a female Gibbs who drinks coffee, has PMS and slaps Dinozzo

Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS

Chapter: (1) Yankee White

Chapter Summary: Gibbs and her team investigate the death of a Naval Commander on Air Force One with the assistance of Secret Service Agent Kate Todd.

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The President waves to the cameras and press waiting outside Air Force One as he boards the plane. He turns to address the stewards. "Bobby did those babybacks from Papa Joe's make the flight?" asks the President.

"Yes, sir, Mr. President. They were flown in from San Antonio ten minutes ago, sir," answers the steward. The president looks particularly happy at this news.

"Good. Let's have an early lunch," suggests the president. As the steward agrees, the President turns away, putting an arm around the shoulders of a man, behind them Kate Todd follows.

"I love the babybacks from Papa Joe's," states the president. The man informs the president that he knows. The president then turns to Kate and asks her "Wasn't Major Kerry supposed to be handling the Football on this one?"

"He came down with the flu, Mr. President," answers Kate. The man beside the president raises his arm to indicate the new Football carrier and informs the president that the new football carrier is Commander Ray Trapp, as the Naval commander stands at attention for the president.

"Have we met before, Commander?" asks the president as he shakes the Naval commander's hand,

"Yes, sir. On the Abraham Lincoln, Mr. President," answers Commander Trapp. The presidents smirks and reminisces for a moment before turning to his secret service detail and states how the trip to the Lincoln had been his best day on the job. The president then turns to Commander Trapp and invites him to lunch, which the commander readily agrees to. The President and the Secret Service man walk away while Kate lingers to speak with Commander. Trapp, who finally relaxes once the President is out of sight.

"Lunch with the boss on your first day. You're destined for stars on those shoulders, Commander," she states giving the man an encouraging smile before heading off in a different direction than the President did. Commander Trapp sits down, looking in the direction that the President disappeared to, and smiles. Then he reaches over to the side of his chair where a large black briefcase is unobtrusively tucked away and pats it with his hand.

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**Some time later;**

A flight attendant carries a tray of food down an aisle and sets it down on a table between two people. The crewmember from before, the steward, walks past her to speak with the Secret Service agents.

"Agent Baer, Agent Todd, would either of you like anything to eat?" asks the steward. Both agents decline.

"I'll be in the Comm. getting an update from Bowman. Keep an eye on things down here," instructs agent Baer to Kate as he gets up.

"You expecting a problem, sir?" asks Kate as he turns back to face her.

"Expect problems, Agent Todd. And with a little luck, you'll never loose the President," he informs her as he jogs up a flight of stairs to the next deck. Kate looks down and smiles ruefully.

Moments later, Commander Trapp enters the room with the briefcase referred to as the Football in hand. He moves slowly, almost shuffling and then stumbles and drops the briefcase. Kate looks at him in concern as the Commander stares at his hand, flexing his fingers. He turns and flashes a grin at Kate.

"I fumbled in my first Army-Navy game, but I recovered the ball," he says as he reaches down and picks the briefcase back up and places it beside his chair carefully. He then turns to Kate and offers his hand to shake. The pair shake hands and exchange names. The Naval Commander begins to look flushed in the face and is beginning to noticeably sweat.

"Eating with the President was… (swallows) a bigger sweat than… making a ni-night cap," he stutters, swallowing and walking in a small circle as he does before collapsing in his seat heavily. Kate is concerned and asks him if he is ill. Seconds later he begins to convulse and falls to the floor as foam starts pouring out of his mouth.

"Slammer, Rose fern for a medical emergency, section one," says Kate issuing orders into her communication device concealed in her sleeve as she kneels down and attempts to stabilize the convulsing Naval commander as Agent Baer rushes down the steps. He demands to know what is going on to which Kate replies she doesn't know. The two agents look up as three medics in Naval whites rush over to them.

The medics begin to resuscitate Commander Trapp when Kate looks up in horror and informs the doctor that the Naval Commander had lunch with the President. Agent Baer hands the briefcase to Kate and informs her to stay with the football as he and the Doctor sprint up the stairs. Kate grips the briefcase tightly and takes her seat watching anxiously as the two medics performing CPR on the Naval commander.

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**Gibb's basement;**

A red haired woman with her hair tied in a tight bun is working on a boat in her basement, diligently planing the wood smooth as the television is playing quietly in the background when the phone rings. She walks around the skeleton frame of her boat to the phone mounted on the side wall and answers it.

"Yeah, Gibbs," she answers.

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**NCIS bullpen;**

"A Navy commander carrying the Football on Air Force One just carked in the air," says Dinozzo informing Gibbs about what just happened. He listens as Gibbs asks where Air Force One landed.

"Wichita, Kansas, The President's transferring to the backup bird. I booked us on a 15:00 United flight out of Reagan, stops in Dallas before going on to Wichita," replies Dinozzo typing on his computer the as he does before grabbing his coat and putting it on. Through the other end of the line, Gibbs can be heard asking if that's the best DiNozzo can do.

"It's Saturday, Gibbs. You know, if we had our own jet…," complains DiNozzo only to be cut off by Gibbs.

**Gibb's basement;**

"We don't. Ducky's buds with coroners across the country. See if you can't get one of them to hold the body until we can get there," suggests Gibbs, which Tony quickly agrees to. She hangs up and leaves her basement while a TV news report can be heard in the background reporting on Air Force One's unscheduled stop.

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**Airport;**

Gibbs and Tony head towards the security check in at the terminal as DiNozzo complains to Gibbs about how other agencies have private jets and then proceeds to list them before Gibbs shuts him up suggesting that he drive.

They arrive at a Security checkpoint. Tony puts his bags down on the ground; Gibbs lays her single one on the conveyor belt and turns to address the security guard.

"We're L.E.O.s," she states, the security guard just smiles and informs them that he is a Capricorn,

"L.E.O., short for Law Enforcement Officer," states an annoyed Tony handing the security guard their paperwork for their weapons while Gibbs show the guard her badge. Gibbs leans over and asks the security guard if it his first day. The security guard nods nervously, deliberately maintaining eye contact to avoid looking down the red-haired woman's blouse. Gibbs lets out a small laugh as the security guard returns to checking the paperwork.

"NCIS, anything like CSI?" asks the guard. "Only if you're dyslexic," states the annoyed Italian-American agent.

"Okay. You can go ahead and go around the, uh, metal detector, but your bags have got to go through the scanner," instructs the guard motioning to their bags.

"Wait a minute, you're letting us take weapons aboard but you want to scan our bags?" asks and confused and irritated Gibbs.

"Well, you've got permits for the weapons but you don't for the bags," states the guard, Tony starts piling the bags onto the conveyor belt.

"We really need our own jet," states Tony turning to his boss only to hear their medical examiner calling out to them from the other side of the security check point.  
>"Dennis! Those bags are mine!" call Ducky<p>

"Why didn't you tell me you were subbing for the Doc? You've got a bag permit," says Dennis smiling at the two agents in front of him as Ducky calls out to Gibbs and DiNozzo urging them to hurry up so they don't miss their plane, smirking as he turns to walk off as the two field agents hurry to catch up.

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**Air Force One;**

Around Air Force One, emergency vehicles and government personnel move around the plane performing various checks. Inside an assortment of official personnel from Secret Service, FBI, State Troopers and Airport security stand around all eyes fixed to the man with 'CORONER' printed on his jacket.

"If J. Edgar Hoover was alive, I'd tell him what I'm telling you. This body is in Wichita County, and as County Coroner, I have jurisdiction. No one moves it until the M.E. says they can," says the coroner.

"Your jurisdiction doesn't supersede the FBI on Air Force One," states a clearly irritated Theresa Fornell, only for her to be interrupted by Agent Kate Todd sitting behind them;

"It's not Air Force One, Agent Fornell," states Kate, as everyone turns to look at her.

"When the President departed on the backup plane, it became Air Force One. This is now Alpha Foxtrot 2900," she continues, ignoring everyone's glares.

"Don't get into this pissing contest, Agent Todd. As you pointed out, the President's gone – it's no longer a Secret Service problem," comments the lone female FBI agent.

"Look. This could be a natural death, or it could be a botched attempt to murder the President. Until I know which, it's my problem," states Kate, defensively trying to diffuse the situation.

"Uh, I don't give a damn which one of you is boss. You ain't moving this body until the M.E. says you can," reminds the coroner, only for Ducky to enter moments later, followed by Tony and Gibbs. Theresa Fornell's eyebrows quirk slightly as she recognizes Gibbs boarding the plane but doesn't say anything, as the red-haired NCIS agent pretends not to know her either.

"You talking about me?" asks Ducky, addressing Elmo the coroner.

"Ducky! How'd you like those steaks I air-expressed you?" asks Elmo. Ducky responds by informing Elmo that they were delicious.

"He 'air-expressed' him steaks?" whispers Theresa quietly into Kate's ear. Kate shrugs commenting that it is a big state. Kate then turns to the coroner Elmo.

"Uh, Agent Theresa Fornell here is FBI. Agent Caitlin Todd, Secret Service. Ducky, these two lovely ladies been fighting over this body like two hounds over a t-bone," Elmo says to Ducky, pointing to each woman as he does.

"Well, it's our t-bone for the moment," comments Ducky as he bends down and begins examining the body of Commander Trapp.

"All these L.E.O.s are contaminating the potential crime scene," states Gibbs motioning to all the various agents standing around.

"Oh yes, my assistant's right. Everyone who boarded in Wichita will have to evacuate the plane," informs Ducky.

"I'm not going anywhere," states Fornell, Ducky looks to Kate.

"I flew in on it," says Kate.

"Very well, you two can stay. But everyone else must deplane," instructs Ducky, motioning to everyone to exit the plane as the coroner backs him up, instructing everyone to leave.

"No outward sign of trauma," comments Ducky returning to examining the body.

"He was stricken after having lunch with the President," says Kate briefly retelling what happened.

"Yeah, how is the President?" asks Tony DiNozzo.

"He's fine. His physician cleared him to fly on to L.A" she replies.

"What happened?" asks Gibbs as both Kate and Theresa look askance at her soft-voiced question; Gibbs just stares placidly at them until Kate answers.

"When the Commander returned from lunch, he had an equilibrium problem and his grip was too weak to hold his briefcase," she recounts. Ducky looks at her and asks,

"Did he gradually become ill, or was it sudden?" asks the medical examiner trying to piece together what happened.

"Sudden. He started to convulse and collapsed. The President's physician believed that the Commander had a stroke," she informs the medical examiner who nods, processing this new information as Tony moves around taking notes.

"Kinda young for a brain fart," he jokes to Ducky, who responds with a small smile and a chuckle. After a moment Ducky stands up and addresses Elmo.

"Looks like a natural death to me, Elmo. They can leave with the body as long as they sign releases," states the medical examiner, Theresa Fornell rolls her eyes and asks the coroner why he didn't say that, the coroner responds by informing the FBI agent that it wasn't his call. The coroner then informs the Secret Service Agent and FBI Agent that the release forms for the body were in his truck.

"Let's go. We can work out jurisdiction for Washington on the flight to Dallas," says Theresa Fornell turning to Kate, Kate glances at Gibbs before leaving. The look on her face is inscrutable.

"Ah, Ducky… about those soft-shell crabs?" asks Elmo just as he is about to deplane, Kate pauses behind Ducky and Elmo at this exchange, throwing another odd look Ducky's way as she tries to figure out what is going on.

"Ah, you'll have them by the weekend," replies, Elmo looks particularly happy and deplanes.

The moment everyone else leaves the plane Gibbs goes into full agent mode.

"Tony, go hot. Show the pilot your credentials; get us the hell out of here," orders Gibbs addressing her subordinate. Tony starts walking down an aisle, but Gibbs calls him back and points up the stairs.

"Hey! Cockpit's on the top deck," says an exasperated Gibbs. Tony tries to pretend that he knew that and quickly climbs the stairs as a smirking Gibbs watches him. She then crouches down beside the medical examiner. "Enjoy playing my boss?" she asks ruefully.

"I did, rather," states Ducky giving her an amused smile.

"What do you think happened, Duck?" she asks him.

"Good God, Gibbs, I barely met the deceased," says Ducky feigning anger much to Gibb's amusement.

"I think DiNozzo's right. Naval aviator, stroking at his age?" comments Gibbs.

"He could have been born with an aneurysm. They're time bombs in the body. I remember this young promising basso-perfundo in London. He was only 27 when he keeled over, in the middle on a Notaro aria…," comments Ducky, only to interrupted as Kate Todd storms onto the plane, her hand moving to her holstered gun on her hip.

"Who the hell are you people? You're no M.E. assistant," she states pointedly to Gibbs before turning to Ducky.

"And there's no soft-shell crab within a thousand miles," she adds.

"Sorry," mutters Ducky to Gibbs, Gibbs turns to Kate

"Special Agent Leanne Jennifer Gibbs, NCIS. We flew down here from Washington to take over the investigation," she admits. Kate's hand moves from her gun exasperated.

"First the FBI tries to muscle in, and now NCIS," comments an irritated and tired Kate.

"Yeah, well, I do believe this is a dead naval officer," comments Gibbs pointing at the dead Naval Commander.

"Who died on Air Force One, after having lunch with the President it's my job to protect," points out Kate.

"Okay, we can share jurisdiction. You can be on my team," says Gibbs acquiescingly.

"Your team? Why should you head the investigation?" questions the Secret Service Agent.

"You ever worked a crime scene, Agent Todd?" the red-haired woman asks the brunette woman.

"I am a Secret Service agent," the brunette woman replies.

"I thought not," comments the redhead smirking.

"Well don't dismiss me like that! Okay? I earned my jock-strap, just like you have Leanne," growls Kate, pointedly using Gibb's first name to emphasize the fact that they are both women working in a male dominated career.

"Yeah, does it ever give you that empty feeling?" asks Gibbs.

Kate replies with a simple, "What?"

"Your jock-strap," elaborates Gibbs.

"No. Like some species of frogs, I grow what I need," she responds smiling brightly. Gibbs smirks back, obviously impressed and enjoying the heated exchange. Tony scrambles down the stairs, speaking as he does;

"Gibbs! Pilot won't take off until the Secret Service chick gives us the…" reports DiNozzo, stopping mid sentence as he see Kate. "…thumbs up," he continues, with the decency to look slightly embarrassed. Kate turns to smirk at Gibbs;

"I think that just made it my team," gloats Kate.

"No. It means we'll just have to hijack Air Force One. Tony, escort Agent Todd off this aircraft and close the hatch," orders Gibbs.

"You're not serious?" asks an incredulous Kate, who quickly chases Gibbs up the stairs to the cockpit.

"Okay, okay! Your team, but only because I don't want to delay us further by having to shoot you," acquiesces Kate, offering her hand to shake on the deal as she does. Gibbs takes her hand and seals the deal.

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**Outside on the tarmac beside Alpha Foxtrot 2900 (Air Force One);**

Outside the plane, Theresa Fornell and a couple of FBI agents in suits begin ascending the boarding stairs to the plane;

"Damnit, Agent Todd, let's get this show on the road!" calls out Fornell, only to see her way blocked by DiNozzo;

"Oh gosh, I'm sorry. We, uh, overbooked the flight," says DiNozzo feigning surprise, before blowing the female FBI agent a kiss and a suggestive wink as he closed the hatch.

"What the hell are you doing?" cries Fornell as the boarding stairs move away from the now taxing plane. Tony looks out a window and waves at the thwarted FBI agents as Fornell yells at various people on the ground. She runs down the stairs making a beeline for the coroner

"Alright, do you know what the hell's going on?" she demands.

"Guess Ducky decided to take the body to Washington," comments an amused Elmo.

"Why did your Medical Examiner decide to take the body to Washington?" she questions.

"I never said he was my Medical Examiner," says Elmo slyly.

Everyone turns to look at the presidential plane as the jet engines kick in and it picks up speed as travels down the run way.

"Then who the hell's Medical Examiner is he?" demands Fornell.

"Ducky? He works for NCIS," states Elmo inwardly enjoying the outrage on Fornell's face. Fornell turns to watch the plane take off.

"Gibbs," she mutters.

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**The Comm. Room of Alpha Foxtrot 2900 formerly Air Force One**;

Gibbs is sitting in front of one of the communication screens; on screen, the NCIS Director can be seen, being briefed by Gibbs on what happened.

"Did you have to literally slam the door in the FBI's face?" asks Director Morrow.

"There were more of them than us," reasons Gibbs.

"There's always more of them than us," the director replies wryly. Gibbs smirks, tilting her head to the side. "You ever hear of interagency cooperation?" he asks.

"Yes, sir. I got the Secret Service Agent-in-Charge at Wichita to agree to share the investigation," replies Gibbs.

"Willingly?" asks a shocked Director. Gibbs smiles ruefully.

"Well, we could use a little backup when we land at Andrews," Gibbs admits. The Director lets out a small laugh.

"Eh, that's what I thought. We're spread a bit thin; we've got no agents," He informs Gibbs.

"If the FBI gets this body, we won't see an autopsy report until after they leak it to the Washington Post," comments Gibbs.

"Then make sure they don't get it." Gibbs nods "Will this Secret Service agent stand up to the FBI?" asks the Director.

"I don't know. She's got balls," answers Gibbs honestly. The Director laughs, mentally comparing what he knew about Agent Todd to Gibbs, ending the video conference.

Gibb's phone rings. She checks the caller ID and sees that Agent Fornell is calling. With a sigh, she answers,

"Hello Leanne," greets Theresa curtly.

"Theresa," answers Gibbs happily.

"What the hell was that Leanne?" asks a clearly irritated Theresa.

"The body is a Naval commander," answers Gibbs.

"You realize for appearance sake I'm going to have to demand the body when we land in Andrews," states Fornell.

"Don't worry, you'll get a body when we land," replies Gibbs, thankful Theresa can't see her grin.

"We had better, oh and did you tell your agent to flirt with me when he slammed to door in my face?" she asks.

"No, but you know what DiNozzo's like," chuckles Gibbs.

"Does he still flirt with you?" asks Theresa.

"At least twice a day, more if he's sucking up. I just remind him I have a sexual harassment form filled out in my desk and that I only need to sign and date it. He leaves me alone for the rest of the day when I do," jokes Gibbs.

"So no chance of DiNozzo being Ex-husband number 4?" jokes Theresa.

"God no, first he's too good of an agent to risk losing over an office romance and secondly, can you really imagine me taking DiNozzo as a surname?" she asks her long time friend. The two share a laugh.

"Why didn't you say anything when I boarded pretending to be Ducky's assistant?" asks Leanne Gibbs.

"I figured you were up to something and wanted to see what you'd do. I'm extremely pissed with what you did but I'll admit it was clever and amusing," Theresa Fornell answers.

"Yeah well we can have a cat fight when we land. I'm sure Tony could find us some mud to fight in," jokes Gibbs.

"Knowing DiNozzo, he'll find us a pool of jelly and offer to lick it off us when we're finished fighting," Theresa jokes back. They share another laugh.

"To think people call us frigid bitches," comments Gibbs.

"See you in Andrews Leanne," says Fornell.

"Bye Theresa," responds Gibbs, hanging up.

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**Alpha Foxtrot 2900 formerly Air Force One, the crime scene;**

Kate is sitting in a nearby chair, watching Ducky insert a thermometer into the body's liver. She winces as he does.

"Are you starting the autopsy?" she asks incredulously.

"Goodness, no. I'm just taking his liver temperature to corroborate the time of death," he informs her. Kate checks her PDA.

"The President's physician declared him dead at 20:32 Zulu," she reads aloud.

"It never hurts to double check," he states as the thermometer beeps.

"Excuse me, you'll need to stand clear so I can take measurements for my crime scene sketches, thanks," says Tony, pushing past Kate with a pen and paper in hand.

"Sketches? You've taken a dozen photos," she exclaims. Tony picks up a magazine with a bikini-clad woman on the cover and waves it in front of her face.

"Tell me her measurements," he asks.

"You're pathetic," she responds rolling her eyes at him.

"No, I'm serious. Can you tell if she's," he looks at magazine "5'4" in a 35-C, or 5'7" in a 36-D? You can't, not from a photo. That's why we do sketches, take measurements," he informs her, defending his need to sketch before pushing her out of the way and resuming his work.

"I've got 19:50 Zulu, that's nearly an hour earlier," comments Ducky, pulling the liver probe out.

"Well, then you miscalculated," retorts Kate. Gibbs comes jogging down the stairs.

"What's the problem?" ask Gibbs, addressing the medical examiner.

"There's apparently a discrepancy between my time of death and the President's physicians," answers Ducky.  
>"Log yours." Ducky bends to do so "Enough sketches, Tony. Agent Todd's gonna give you a floor plan," says Gibbs walking off.<p>

"Oh, no, she won't," argues Kate following her.

"I thought your photo analysis was brilliant, Tony. But wasn't 36-D a bit of wishful thinking?" says Ducky looking up at Tony as he logs his test results and time of death. "You think?" asks DiNozzo, taking a good look at the model on the cover.

xX NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx **Alpha Foxtrot 2900 formerly Air Force One;**

Gibbs and Kate are, meanwhile, walking down an aisle, as Kate continues to list reasons why she won't be giving DiNozzo the floor plans; Gibbs ignores the brunette's rant as she begins asking questions.

"What can you tell me about Commander Trapp?" she asks the brunette.

"I can't give him Air Force One floor plans, they're top secret." Kate ignores the red-haired woman's question.

"Come on, I saw this in a Harrison Ford movie," comments Gibbs looking around.

"Well that's Hollywood speculation. You're asking for the real thing," comments Kate.

"Isn't the President's head down here someplace?" asks Gibbs, caught up in her own little world as she remembers the Harrison Ford Film. Kate offers a simple 'No' as the redhead walks into a conference room.

"Now this was in the movie!" exclaims Gibbs happily. she looks around the conference room he just walked into. She indicates the chair at the head of the table, "Yeah! Harrison was sitting right here," she says, moving to stand behind the chair looking around happily.

"I can't risk those plans getting out on the Internet," states Kate.

"NCIS does not leak, that's the FBI's job. These plans get out, you can shoot DiNozzo," jokes Gibbs. Kate looks un-amused.

"No, I think I'm destined to shoot you," the brunette woman retorts.

"What about Commander Trapp?" asks Gibbs, returning to her previously asked question.

"Only met him this morning. He just received his Yankee White clearance and was Major Kerry's backup. The major has the flu," says Kate, breaking eye contact when she mentioned Major Kerry. Gibbs notices this but doesn't comment on it and continues to explore the plane.

"We'll have to get a Navy doc to verify that," comments Gibbs, keeping an eye on the Secret Service Agent as she continues walking around.

"He's got it," she confirms. She then waves her hands, "But go ahead, and waste a doctor's time double-checking like your… Ducky," the brunette continues.

Gibbs stops in front of cabinet, with a keypad lock on it, and smiles.

"This is where the terrorists got their weapons in the movie," she comments happily and starts playing with the keypad.

"Oh, that is as ridiculous as the President's '_escape capsule'"_, huffs Kate.

"Anybody switch planes with the President?" asks Gibbs.

"The President was put on a separate plane. Everyone else boarded the backup three stewards, who were put in the Press cabin," answers Kate.

"What'd you keep them for? Make coffee?" asks Gibbs pulling the curtain aside ad waving at the three stewards sitting inside.

"I may not know the finer points of investigating, like sticking needles in liver or measuring swimsuit models, but I do know enough to hold the stewards who prepared and served the President's lunch," she supplies. Leanne hums and nods in approval.

"You want to question––?" Asks Kate but is cut off by Gibbs.

"No, they're not going anywhere. We've got a crime scene to investigate. Rule number one, never let suspects stay together," instructs Gibbs, as she starts walking back towards the front of the plane.

"Well I didn't consider them suspects," comments Kate, following close behind.

"Why'd you hold them? Put these on," she asks and then hands Kate a pair of latex gloves.

"My fingerprints are all over this aircraft," Kate points out.

"Rule number two, always wear gloves at a crime scene," instructs Gibbs rattling off another of her rules.

By this point, Gibbs has managed to steer them back to the crime scene area. Ducky is kneeling beside the body when they approach.

"I believe I know why there's a discrepancy in the time of death. Now since the Commander had lunch with the President, I'm sure the President's physician rushed to evaluate his condition. He also called Trapp's time of death," suggests Ducky.

"Yes, once he was sure the President wasn't in medical danger, he returned and… He was gone nearly an hour," she recounts, realizing why the two time of deaths had been different.

"Yes. I'm sure the autopsy will show that Commander Trapp expired almost immediately," notes Ducky.

"I owe you an apology, Doctor," the Secret Service agent offers.  
>"Oh, please; it's Ducky to my associates. I'm just relieved we straightened it out. It's inconsistencies like this to lead to conspiracy theories. It reminds me of a case once in New Orleans. A jealous husband shot his wife off a Mardi Gras float, right out of the clock at the corner of Bourbon Street," recounts Ducky, becoming lost in one of his stories only for Gibbs to cut him off.<p>

"Ah, doc, give it a rest. She's got work to do," complains the redhead. Kate smiles at Ducky and gets up to follow Gibbs.

"I'll tell you the rest later!" calls Ducky watching the two women leave.  
>"Rule number three, don't believe what you're told. Double-check," instructs Gibbs.<p>

"Should I write these rules in my Palm Pilot, or crochet them on pillows?" Kate asks ruefully.

They walk into another room. Tony is seated behind the desk, twisting the phone around in his hands watching the television is playing in the background.

"Oh no, I draw the line at him sitting in the President's chair," shouts Kate angrily

"He's not using it," jokes Tony to Gibbs, Kate complains to Gibbs once more.  
>"If you're finished taking pictures, start bagging and tagging," orders Gibbs, DiNozzo jumps out of the president's seat.<p>

"Just waiting for you, boss," he replies

"Bagging and tagging what?" asks a confused Kate

"Well, to start with," she indicates the lunch "… everything." She points at chair Tony just left "President was sitting there?" asks Gibbs.

"Pretty good bet, since it is his desk," Kate replies curtly.

Tony passes Gibbs a clear evidence bag as Gibbs starts instructing Kate on proper investigative technique.

"Okay, to maintain the chain of custody, take the item – in this case, Commander Trapp's lunch – place it in the evidence bag," instructs Gibbs, emphasizing each instruction by physically showing Kate each step, then writing down on the label what the item is, where it was found, who bagged it and finally the time and date. She then seals the bag and passes the filled evidence bag to Tony with a 'Keep it cold' order. Tony hands her a new evidence bag. Gibbs then turns to Kate with it.

"Okay, why don't you try it?" suggests the red-haired woman to the brunette woman.

Kate begins to look sick; she throws a hand up over her mouth, and runs out of the room, Gibbs running after her with the evidence bag.

"Oh, wait a minute! Hey, wait! Wait a minute! Whoa! Stop!" shouts Gibbs.

She corners Kate against the bathroom door, turns the other woman around, and shoves the open evidence bag in her face;

"In here, in here…" orders Gibbs. Kate vomits into the evidence bag. Gibbs seals and labels it. Kate looks at her reproachfully.

"Can I rinse now that you've got your evidence?" she asks hotly.

"Yeah, sure," replies Gibbs shrugging her shoulder. Kate gives her a disgruntled look, before disappearing into the bathroom. Gibbs finishes labeling the evidence bag then turns as Tony approaches. She hands him the evidence bag, instructing him to log it and to find Ducky. Tony questions if the Secret Service Agent has what killed the Naval Commander. Gibbs just shakes her head, takes a seat at one of the plane's windows, and looks out at the clouds.

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**Presidential rally**.

An announcer can be heard introducing the President George Bush to the stage as the crowd cheers as Agent Baer walks through the crowd talking on his phone.

"Don't threaten me, Theresa. I'm not in your food chain," says the Secret Service agent crossly.

**FBI private jet;**

Theresa Fornell can be seen talking on her phone inside of the FBI's private jet. "If NCIS does the autopsy, they'll control the investigation. You want that?" questions Fornell.

"Commander Trapp was a Naval officer, they have every right to do the autopsy," states Baer over the phone.

"Damnit Bill, they're bush league. We have assets those cowboys can only salivate over," exclaims Fornell irritably.

Baer can be heard advising Fornell not to underestimate NCIS.

"Oh they're good, at making drug busts and catching sailors who've jumped ship. But an attack on the President?" questions Fornell attempting to discredit NCIS.

"The President's doctor thought that Commander Trapp had a stroke," responds Baer.

"Maybe he did, but if he was poisoned… You want to put the man's life in the hands of retread cops and ex-MPs?" suggests Fornell.

**Presidential rally**

Agent Baer lets out a resigned sigh, "If you withhold so much as a comma out of the report…," he warns the FBI agent.

**FBI private jet;**

"You'll get copies of everything before the ink dries," replies Fornell

"I'll order Agent Todd to turn the body over to the FBI at Andrews, but I can't control NCIS," admits Baer

"With us joined at the hip, all they can do is watch and Bitch," she jokes hanging up

"We're back in the ballgame," she says to herself, smirking while imagining the look on Leanne Gibb's face.

xX NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Alpha Foxtrot 2900, formerly Air Force One;**

Ducky is examining Kate, who is lying stretched out on a couch.

"Low temperature. I think it's a stomach virus," says Ducky, removing the thermometer from Kate's mouth and putting it away

"I know it is. Did you use that thermometer on cadavers?" she asks looking at the thermometer suspiciously. Ducky lets out a small laugh.

"Would you rather I use the liver probe?" the medical examiner jokes.

"Why're you so sure it was the flu?" asks Gibbs. Kate lets out deep sigh.

"It's the same symptoms Major Kerry had," she admits.

"Did you work together recently?" asks the medical examiner curiously.

Kate answers with an embarrassed; "No".

"Well if you didn't work with him, then how…? Ah!" Ducky trails off realizing the implications.

"Did you think I was a virgin?" she asks ruefully.

"I'd… hoped not," he admits obviously embarrassed. The medical examiner then gets up and leaves and Kate chuckles. Gibbs just sits there watching her. She shifts on the couch getting comfortable, staring back at the other woman.

"You gonna lecture me about sleeping with people you work with?" she asks. Gibbs replies that she isn't, Kate nods slowly. Gibbs keeps looking at her. Before anyone can say anything else, a voice can be heard over the intercom system informing Agent Todd that Agent Baer had called her on a secure line. Kate sighs and slowly, possibly painfully, sits up.

"You want me to take that call for you?" offers the red-head.

"I'd have to be dead" the brunette responds. She leaves and Gibbs nods to herself, laughing.

xX NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Alpha Foxtrot 2900, formerly Air Force One; the president's office**

Tony is sitting behind the president's desk once more as the chief steward sits opposite him answering various questions.

"And how long have you been on Air Force One?" Tony questions, moving onto the next question.

"Five years, sir. Two with President Clinton, three with President Bush," replies the chief steward. Gibbs walks in and heads straight for the bathroom, Tony then wraps the interview up and dismisses the crewman. Gibbs' muffled voice can be heard from behind bathroom door.

"What'd you get?" she asks. DiNozzo looks up as Ducky enters the room. DiNozzo quickly motions for the medical examiner to remain quiet and motions to the camera.

"Ah, food security's very tight. Incognito purchases, randomly selected stores. No one knows their buying for Air Force One," says DiNozzo, as he pulls a pose behind the president's desk as Ducky snaps a picture.

"Stewards usually prepare all the food, but today the President had ribs and coleslaw flown in from a smokehouse in San Antonio. So they only reheated them and served them," continues DiNozzo as he jumps out of the seat as Ducky takes a seat behind the desk and poses for his own photo. DiNozzo quickly snaps the picture and the pair resume their original positions pretending as if nothing had happened.

"Did anybody else have ribs?" asks Gibbs from within the bathroom; Tony quickly answers "No."

"Gibbs, if the ribs were poisoned, then how come the President wasn't affected," reasons Ducky.

"Maybe he's used to Papa Joe's barbecue," comments Gibbs as a flush can be heard, followed by the sound of water running. Moments later Gibbs emerges.

"If you two are through taking pictures of each other, maybe we can move that body out," suggests Gibbs. Tony and Ducky look at each other realizing that they'd been caught. Gibbs then sits down behind the president's desk places the phone to her ear and indicates for DiNozzo to take a picture.

xX NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Secret Service motorcade;**

Agent Baer is double-checking all of the cars for the motorcade as he talks to Agent Todd over the phone.

"I made a deal with NCIS to share the investigation, sir," Kate's voice rings out from his phone speaker as she informs her boss of her agreement with NCIS.

"You're not senior enough to make deals, Agent Todd. We're working this with the FBI," she scolds her as he climbs into one of the cars.

"Sir, these NCIS agents are not just going to turn the body and the evidence over to the FBI," she states. Baer motions to the driver to drive.

"NCIS had no right to use a local coroner to delay your departure," he argues.

"You have to see it from there side," she attempts to reason.

"Agent Todd, shut up and listen. I'm giving you a direct order. That's our aircraft, everything living and dead on board is under Secret Service control. Turn the body over to the FBI at Andrews, or the only presidential detail you'll get will be walking Spotty," he orders, leaving no room for argument or discussion as he hangs up.

X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Alpha Foxtrot 2900 formerly Air Force One;**

Kate walks down the stairs from when she notices Gibbs sitting alone, Ducky, DiNozzo and Commander Trapp's body no where to be seen.

"Where's the body?" the brunette asks.

"I don't know," replies the redhead looking as innocent as she can. They both laugh, knowing she's lying through her teeth. Kate admits to herself that she appears to be a good liar.

"You move it to the off-ramp for a fast getaway?" suggest Kate correctly guessing Gibb's plan. Gibbs just grins and drinks her coffee silently, a smirk visible around the edge of the coffee cup. Kate puts on her coat and takes her own seat as the plane is coming in for a landing.

"It won't work, Gibbs. I've been ordered to turn the body over to the FBI at Andrews," states Kate.

"You could stall them until we get off," suggest the older woman.

"No, I can't. I won't defy a direct order. I'm sorry, Gibbs," apologizes Kate.

"Never say you're sorry. Ah, you don't have to crochet that one," she jokes, lightening the mood. Kate smiles, but is obviously not happy with the situation.

X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**FBI van;**

"Why'd you let NCIS have the evidence they bagged on the plane?" asks one agent.

"Since we have the body we control the investigation. If a few ribs and coleslaw saves some face, what's it hurt? If the food was poisoned the President would…" says Fornell, only to be interrupted when a cell phone begins ringing, both occupants of the van look around.

"Not mine," says the driver. The phone rings again. Fornell checks her cell as well.

"Not mine, either," she says.

"Hello?" whispers Tony. Both agents look back at the body bag where the voice came from. Tony is inside it, with his cell phone pressed to his ear.

"We're in the clear, you can get out of the body bag," says Gibbs over the phone. The FBI SUV slams to halt in the middle of the road, forcing drivers behind them to serve.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I'm not sure I want to," whispers Tony.

**NCIS Van;**

A white van is driving down another road somewhere else. Gibbs and Ducky are in the back with the real body of Commander Trapp.

"Fine. You've got to search Commander Trapp's apartment tonight," informs Gibbs.

"Oh, Gibbs, come on! It's 1:00am," complains DiNozzo over the phone.

"Agent Axelrod is trailing you to pick up the body bag when the FBI tosses it," says Gibbs.

"That's funny, Gibbs, real funny. Especially since— Aaahhh!" screams DiNozzo over the phone as the FBI can be heard pulling him out of their van and dumping him on the road. Gibbs just calmly hangs up and turns back to look at Ducky.

"I guess they found him," she comments, smirking.

X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**NCIS MTAC;**

The NCIS director is standing in front of the main screen in MTAC and is video conferencing the Director of the FBI and the Director of the Secret Service.

"Special Agent Gibbs has been operating under my direct orders," states the NICIS Director Tom Morrow.

"Agent Todd was also acting under orders," responds the Secret Service Director.

"As was Agent Fornell," replies the FBI Director.

"Then the problem seems to be that my people succeeded where your two… didn't," comments the NCIS Director.

"Tom, this is no time for turf wars. Not after 9/11. And especially when the President's life may be at risk," the Secret Service Director responds curtly.

"I'd like to think this is not about turf, Mark. Rather that we all believe we have the right people for the job. We shouldn't be agency directors if we didn't," responds Director Morrow attempting to placate the two other directors.

"You're offering a shared investigation?" asks the Secret Service Director. The NCIS Director confirms this.

"Who leads? Your man?" asks the Director of the FBI.

"We do have the body," replies Director Morrow.

X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**NCIS Autopsy;**

Gibbs walks into the Autopsy room where Ducky is systematically checking the body of Commander Trapp.

"I found Abby, she's on the way in," states Gerald, Ducky's assistant.  
>"Yeah, did you wake her up?" she asks back.<p>

"No, I called her on her cell. Sounded like one phat party," comments Gerald nodding his head in approval as he leaves, carrying the Commander's uniform wrapped in plastic. Gibbs just blinks in confusion at the terminology.

Gibbs walks over to Ducky shaking off her confusion; "Find anything Ducky?" she asks.

"Nope, and I won't for hours," states Ducky as he lifts an arm, using a magnifying glass to peer at it. "I've just begun examining the body for needle marks," he informs her.

"You think somebody stuck him?" she asks.

"I don't know," admits Ducky.

"Anything on the uniform?" asks Gibbs.

"Not that I could see. I've sent it up to Abby," states Ducky. Gibbs spots something and peers closer to have a look.

"What's this?" she asks. Ducky looks at it for a moment.

"A mole. Gibbs, go home. Get some sleep. I would if I could, this is gonna take all night. What's left of it," he comments with a weary sigh. Gibbs wanders over to the side counter and picks up a roll of paper towel. She lays the roll down like a pillow on one of the autopsy beds beside the corpse's and stretches out with a groan of relief. She rolls over onto his side and closes her eyes for a nap.

"Ducky, why would Abby go to a 'fat' party?" she asks, confusion clearly heard in her voice  
>"Jennifer, get some sleep," orders Ducky turning the Autopsy lights off. Ducky resumes his work under the sole light of the spot lamp over the body.<p>

X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Abby's lab**

Abby is examining Commander Trapp's uniform under UV light as Tony enters with a box of evidence.

"Abby?" calling out for the Gothic lab technician.

"Yeah?" she responds.

"Find anything on his uniform?" he asks as he sets the box of evidence down.

"Not yet," she admits.

"Well, I think I found how he was poisoned," he says as takes the evidence bags out of the box and starts laying them out on the countertop.

"This guy had enough vitamins, herbs, and organic food to open his own health market. If he was poisoned, I think you'll find it laced into one of these," says Tony motioning to all of the containers of medicines, vitamins and herbs as Abby signs the label on the evidence bag to keep chain of custody.

"So what are you gonna do while I'm finding poison in a health snack?" she asks.

"I'll wait," he says between yawns.

"There's a futon, by the cabinet over there," she says pointing to the cabinet in question. Tony claps his hands together in mock prayer. "Oh, bless you," he says causing the Goth girl to chuckle.

"What are you, my priest?" she jokes.

He pauses. "Curse you?" he responds as Abby laughs again. Tony lays down for a nap under a desk, with the futon mattress as Abby goes back to work.

X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**NCIS headquarters, a couple hours later;**

Ducky is standing beside a widescreen television and is pointing to a yellow spot highlighted on the brain scan of the corpse, as Gibb's team and Agents Kate Todd and Theresa Fornell watch.

"My neural pathology exam indicates that our victim succumbed to a cerebral embolism. Here, in the parietal lobe. I also found a number of clots, most of them centered in the renal artery," explains Ducky as he goes over his autopsy findings.

"Isn't that unusual?"" asks Kate seeking clarification.

"Oh, not at all. In most cases of arterial thrombosis, clots will develop over a period of minutes or hours, spread to the rest of the body," answers Ducky.

"Butt what caused them to develop in a healthy young aviator?" asks Gibbs wanting further information.

Ducky turns to Abby and motions for her to answer.

"Well I did a fibrinogen test. The pro-coagulate numbers were high, but they weren't off the charts," she answers.

"Any drugs that might induce the clotting?" asks Fornell.

"Well yeah, but none of those popped up. I only isolated the epinephrine that was injected when he got jolted and juiced on the plane," she replies.

"No vitamins? Herbals?" questions Tony.

"The guy was an organic freak. I mean, he probably whizzed green. But none of that'll cottage cheese your blood," she replies in typical Abby manner.

"Did you test the food that ingested on Air Force One?" asks the Kate. Abby nods;

"Everything that was bagged and tagged. Ribs, coleslaw, barby sauce… it was all negative for toxins. I mean, that stuff will kill ya, but it'll take, like, thirty years. Do you dudes in the Secret Service ever think about throwing yourselves in front of the President's diet?" she jokes. Gibbs and Fornell chuckle while Kate smiles ruefully.

"So, you're both saying he wasn't murdered?" asks wanting to clarify everything.

"However freakish and tragic, it apparently was a natural death," answers Ducky.

"I want my people to check your results," informs Fornell.

"Of course. You and Agent Todd will be receiving copies of all our tests," states Ducky.

"Does it for me," replies Fornell. She then turns to DiNozzo with a smirk. "How's your butt?" she asks.

"Still bouncing on the beltway," he responds with a small glare. Her face twitches into a small smile for a moment as she leaves. Kate goes to follow, but Gibbs calls her back offering a stick of gum, which she accepts.

"Kate. When's the President returning?" asks Gibbs from behind her desk.

"Uh, tomorrow. Noon. I'm flying back tonight to rejoin the detail," replies the brunette.

"Mind if I tag along?" asks the red haired woman Kate is about to say no when Gibbs does the unexpected.

"Please?" she asks childishly. Kate smiles smugly.

"You can. Your sidearm can't. We have a rule: no weapons on Air Force One unless they're Secret Service," she says pointing to Gibb's holstered gun. Kate pops the gum in her mouth. Gibbs shrugs and takes off her sidearm, tucking it away in a drawer. She puts on her coat and follows Kate out. As she passes Abby and Ducky she instructs them to continue working on the case.

"Wow. Gibbs said _please,_" exclaims an awed but amused Abby.

X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**A Bar in George Town;**

Kate is having a drink with Major Kerry. As he proposes a toast to the memory of Commander Trapp, they clink glasses,

"To come all the way through the war without a scratch and then die in a stroke… He was in the thick of it on the push to Baghdad," comments Major Kerry.

"You never told me that you knew him," she says.

"We had a drink when he reported to the Whitehouse. He wanted to know what tips I could give him," Major Kerry explains.

"About the Football detail?" she asks.

"Yeah. Where he could find a good gym. Dry cleaners. Grocery mart. Local watering hole," he listed.

"Did you tell him about this place?" she asked.

"No. He might have run into us and that wouldn't have been good, would it?" he comments, taking her hand in his. She looks at their hands for a moment.

"No, it wouldn't," she admits sliding her hand out of his.

"Huh. He wouldn't have run into us after tonight though, would he?" he questions.

"No," she whispers. Major Kerry leans in concerned

"Worried about losing your job?" he asks her.

She nods in affirmation and adds; "Worried about losing the President. When we work together, my focus just wouldn't be a hundred percent. I'm sorry, Tim. That's the way it's gotta be and you know it," she explains. He reluctantly agrees and helps her out of her seat and then walks her to her car, watching as she drives away.

He goes to his own car, and as he gets in, he starts to sweat profusely. He grabs at his collar trying to loosen it. He starts convulsing and falls over, white foam dripping from his mouth as he dies in an identical manner to Commander Trapp.

X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Air Force One;**

The president boards the plane, greeting the new Football carrier as well as congratulating Agent Baer on a job well done.

"I'm surprised that you didn't object to Agent Gibbs riding with us," says Kate addressing her boss.

"She's here because her gut is still churning, isn't it?" asks Agent Baer

"Yes, sir. I suppose you could put it that way," she replies.

"Well so is mine" he comments as he turns around and walks off. Kate nods, equally as concerned, as she watches Baer follow the President.

X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Abby's lab;**

Ducky, I have tested everything. Mineral acids, organic acids, alkaloids, bacterial poisons…" she trails off having listed every possible chemical.

"You know, Abby, nature always proves to be a far more elusive and powerful killer than man," he comments before walking off leaving a thoughtful looking Abby.

X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Air Force One**;

Gibbs watches the new Football carrier eat. Kate notices this and comments on it.

"Expect him to drop?" Kate asks. Gibbs turns to her.

"I see you're over the flu," the redhead comments, taking a seat beside Kate.

"Twenty-four hour bug. Tim got over it yesterday. Tim is Major Kerry," she explained.

"Yeah. I kinda figured that," commented Gibbs sarcastically. Kate immediately goes on the defense.

"I met him for a drink yesterday. I told him we had to stop seeing each other. I mean, we hadn't been dating long. I mean, we knew each other on the detail for a couple of months before we started… dating. You know, when you're on the job 24/7, how else do you get to know someone?" she says defending herself.

"Church," is Gibbs' only answer.

X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Abby's lanb;**

Abby is testing whether or not the toxin that killed Commander Trapp is from a Puffer fish. The test comes up negative. She sighs, shoulders slumping as she goes back to try another.

X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Air Force One;**

Gibbs and Kate are watching as Agent Baer escorts a journalist to the front of the plane. "Where they going?" asks Gibbs.

"The President promised ten minutes to each member of the Press on board. Since we kicked them off at Wichita, he's playing catch up," explains Kate.

"Three years before 9/11, Clancy wrote a book where a terrorist hijacked a commercial jetliner and crashed it into the Capital," the redhead states, having read the book herself. She glances in to the press cabin.

"In the Harrison Ford movie, the terrorists were reporters," she adds, turning back to the Secret Service Agent.

"Gibbs, everyone on board has been vetted by us for years. Except you," retorts Kate.

"In the film, the terrorists got they're credentials from a Secret Service turncoat," states Gibbs as she turns and walks away.

Kate lets out a sigh watching Gibbs depart. A man from the Press cabin walks up beside her and watches Gibbs leave.

"Loosening up your dress code, Kate?" asks the journalist motioning to the departing Gibbs.

"She's not one of us," she replies.

"We all gonna get our fifteen minutes of fame?" he asks her.

"It's ten, Leonard, and the President's doing his best," she says, directing him back to his seat.

X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Abby's lab;**

Abby is spinning a pair of scissors around her finger while she waits for her machine to beep. She looks up as the results are displayed. The test for Poison Arrow Frog is also negative.

X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**George town street;**

Tony pulls up to see the street sealed off by police. He gets out of his car and walks over to the officer in charge who is standing by the car.

"Agent DiNozzo, NCIS. What do you got?" says Tony introducing himself and flashing his badge.

"One dead Marine officer. No signs of trauma," lists the cop. He hands a wallet to Tony; "Doesn't appear to be a robbery, there's still cash and credit cards in his wallet. I've got two shooting already this morning. Since this guy's one of yours, I hoped you might take it," informs the cop. Tony flips open the wallet and sees the ID. It's Major Timothy Kerry.

"Yeah. We'll take him," says Tony, not sure why a sense of foreboding and dread filled him.

X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Abby's lab;**

Abby looks up as the screen displays the results of the toxin. She's finally gotten a positive test result. The toxin is identified as "taipan1", a poisonous snake from Australia. Abby jumps up and down in exaltation.

X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Air Force One;**

Gibbs is wandering around exploring the plane again, trying to note any differences between this plane and Alpha Foxtrot 2900.

"There's something different about this plane than Air Force One," she asks Kate.

"This is Air Force One," replies Kate.

"You know what I mean" Gibbs comments back. Agent Baer passes the two women. He brings Annie back and calls for Leonard telling him that it is his turn with the President now. He lingers putting on his sport coat as he leaves, overhearing Kate talk with Gibbs.

"There's some minor differences. 2900 is newer, has some minor updates," she admits. Gibbs asks her to list the differences.

"Rear loading hatch is bigger on the 2900. Extra lavatory forward. Locks are digital on 29, and keyed on this," she replies, reading aloud the differences.

The Intercom interrupts them as Gibbs is informed that there is a teleconference call in the comm. Room. Gibbs gets up but turns to Kate as she does.

"Kate, I want to know every difference on this plane, no matter how small you think it is," she orders. Kate sarcastically responds that a please would have been nice.

Gibbs takes the teleconference call, to be updated by Tony.

"Major Kerry is dead. D.C. cops found the body in his car on a street in Georgetown. Ducky and Abby'll update you," informs DiNozzo. He then switches the teleconference over to open up windows into Ducky's autopsy and Abby's lab so they can contribute as well.

"Another stroke, Duck?" she asks her medical examiner.

"I'm afraid so, Gibbs. However, this time there are multiple embolic infarctions. The Major must have received a heavier dose than the Commander," notes Ducky.

"Dose of what, Abby?" she asks.

"It's venom, from a coastal Taipan. It's a highly toxic Aussie snake. Well this junk zaps the nervous system and it clots the blood. You convulse, and then you stroke," explains Abby.

"The toxin is almost impossible to detect," admits Ducky.

"Well, the truth is, Abby would have detected it if I hadn't interrupted her while she was analyzing the uniform," admits DiNozzo, briefly feeling a phantom head slap.

"The venom was in the uniform?" asks Gibbs seeking clarification.

"Yeah. I found traces of DMSO in the collars and the cuffs. I think it was mixed with the venom to make it absorbed through the skin," she theorizes.

"Major Kerry was the intended target. When he came down with the flu, he didn't put his uniform on until yesterday," theorizes DiNozzo.

"How did the terrorist get the poison into the uniforms?" asks Gibbs.

"Well, they both have tags from Dry Doc Cleaners on 19th Street," she informs Gibbs.

"DiNozzo, why are you sitting there on your ass? Get a team and go hit that dry cleaner," she barks. Tony looks behind him at Director Morrow.

The Director sits down in Tony's seat.

"I've passed that baton on to the FBI. This has all the earmarks of Al-Qaeda; unexpected, well planned, brilliantly executed. But to what end?" he wonders aloud to Gibbs.

"Wouldn't surprise me to hear Bin Laden on Al-Jazeera bragging about how he iced the President's Ball carriers," jokes Tony

"I don't think that's what he wants to brag about," comments the Director.

"Eh, neither do I," she agrees as she signs off and leans back in his chair, thinking.

She jumps out of her chair and runs down the stairs to the new Football carrier, who leaps to his feet when he sees Gibbs.

"Where'd you get your uniform dry-cleaned?" she demands.

"Base cleaner at Quantico, Ma'am" the marine responds. Gibbs walks back down the aisle, encountering Kate on the way. She's got her laptop open in her arms.

"I've accessed everything I could on the differences," she states as the NCIS agent approaches her.

"We need to talk," states Gibbs, hauling the brunette Secret Service Agent and goes to open a door to an office.

"What are you doing? There's a campaign conference going on in there," she says stopping the other woman.

"I need to talk to you in private," answers the redhead.

"Well, there's no other private meeting room. You could ask the President to give up his office, but it might be a little weird," she jokes sarcastically.

Gibbs grabs her laptop and throws it down on a seat. While she protests, Gibbs then pushes her into a bathroom and squeezes in with her and takes her weapon aiming it at Kate as she orders the brunette to sit down.

"What are you doing?" demands Kate, looking between the Gibbs and the barrel of her own gun.

"Commander Trapp was poisoned. Australian snake venom. Hard to detect, mimics a natural death," states Gibbs.

"What? You think I did it?" a shocked Kate asks.

"Well, sweetpea, you were with him when he was poisoned," she comments sarcastically. "Yeah, so was the President. You gonna accuse him?" Kate bites back.

"No. He wasn't with Major Kerry yesterday," says Gibbs.

"Tim?" says a shocked Kate.

"Yeah. Stroked, on a Georgetown street," Gibbs informs the other woman. Kate looks upset.

"You know, I bet it wasn't far from the bar where you two kissed and said bye-bye," she comments, angering Kate. Kate starts hitting her, crying, very upset. She repeatedly calls her a "Bitch", and then buries her face in the other woman's shoulder while she holds her.

"I gave it to you cold, wanted to see your reaction. Liars can't pale on cue," Gibbs explains to the sniffling woman. She hands Kate her weapon back when Kate appears to have calmed down.

"You're still a bitch," comments Kate. Gibbs doesn't argue.

"How were they poisoned?" Kate asks Gibbs.

"Dry cleaner laced their uniforms with poison. Must be an Al-Qaeda sleeper," explains Gibbs.

"Tim must have recommended his dry cleaners, he…" she trails off.

"What?" demands Gibbs as fresh tears roll down Kate's cheeks.

"Yesterday, Tim told me that they had a drink and he gave Commander Trapp tips like that," she explains.

"Well they've got to be after the President, but what would killing the Ball carrier give them?" rationalizes Gibbs.

"Nothing. Another aide steps in," says Kate. Gibbs eyes widen as she realizes the terrorist's plan.

"And another plane. This plane. They forced the President to fly his backup," exclaims Gibbs.

"Security's exactly the same," argues Kate.

"But the plane isn't. And I'll bet Security isn't either until the President's on board. Al-Qaeda has to have planted something on this plane," theorizes Gibbs.

"It can't be a bomb, they would have detonated it by now," rationalizes Kate.

X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Air Force One, Press Cabin**;

A journalist starts going into convulsions and drops to the floor. Secret Service agents rush to his side. Agent Baer who is escorting Leonard races to the Press cabin. Leonard ambles along behind him as three medics from before come running.

"Captain, is this the same thing Trapp had?" asks Baer addressing the doctor.

"It appears to be," the doctor states, as the other two medics begin CPR on the journalist.

Leonard, meanwhile, walks over to the cabinet Gibbs had noted before as being the armory when comparing the plane with the Harrison Ford movie. Leonard pulls out a key to unlock the cabinet. Inside are weapons, and he arms himself with an automatic.

X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Air Force One, the Bathroom;**

"You said the locks were different," Gibbs demands to know.

"29 has digital ones, this one has keys," she states.

"Armory, the armory. They have keys to the armory. They copied the movie. They've vetted a reporter," cries Gibbs.

"That would take years," comments Kate putting her earwig back in.

"So did setting up 9/11," replies Gibbs.

As the two women exit the washroom, Leonard sees them and ducks down side corridor before they can see him. Kate listens into the chatter over the comms.

"There's a medical emergency in the Press cabin," she informs Gibbs.

"It's a diversion. Cover the President," orders Gibbs.

They split up. Gibbs heading back toward the Press cabin, while Kate goes on ahead to the President. She draws her weapon as she approaches instructing the Football carrier that no one is to get past him. The Marine Football carrier plants himself in the middle of the aisle, a determined blockade.

Leonard waits until Gibbs has passed by before going back out into the aisle. Gibbs makes her way to the armory and grabs a handgun out of the already open locker. Leonard approaches the Marine guarding the hall, who moves to intercept him.

"Sir, stop right there. Stop right there, sir!" orders the Marine. Leonard stops, hiding the automatic weapon behind his back.

"What's happened?" he asks.

"Freeze!" calls Gibbs from behind Leonard, pointing her gun at him. Leonard halts.

"Get your hands in the air," instructs Gibbs, her gun still trained on the journalist's back.

"Sure. Someone yelled for a doctor," he states.

As Leonard turns, he starts firing the automatic on an arc toward Gibbs. Gibbs doesn't flinch, but fires once into Leonard's chest; all of the bullets had missed Gibbs. Leonard falls backwards onto his butt, alive and no longer firing the gun, but still with his finger on the trigger of the automatic. Gibbs shoots him twice more in the chest and head. Leonard keels over, dead.

Kate come running weapons drawn to see what happened. Gibbs walks passed the body, up to Kate and hands Kate her appropriated weapon with a smirk.

X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Air Field, Air Force One has landed;**

Air Force One sits on the tarmac surrounded by federal and emergency vehicles. Inside Gibbs and Agent Baer are walking through the plane, discussing paperwork.

"Agent Todd told me about her and Major Kerry when she tendered her resignation," Agent Baer informs Gibbs.

"Are you accepting?" she asks hopefully.

"Of course, she broke the rules," he says as he offers his hand. "Well, thank you, Special Agent Gibbs," he says appreciatively. Gibbs accepts and shakes his hand.

"No sir, thank _you_," she says happily, as she deplanes.

Kate is walking despondently away from the scene. Gibbs comes running up to her.

"I heard you quit, Agent Todd," she says off handily.

"Happy news gets around fast. Yes, I resigned. It was the right thing to do," she admits with a resigned tone of voice.

"Yup. Pull that crap at NCIS, I won't give you a chance to resign," states Gibbs. Kate turns to her surprised

"Is that a job offer?" Kate asks surprised but hopeful.

"Be careful around DiNozzo, I think he just made you his next conquest. He's being trying his luck with me since he started at NICS," warns Gibbs.

"I think I'll be able to handle him. He seems like the shallow playboy type that sleeps with women and then breaks their hearts, not my kind of man," says Kate, defending her pride.

"Yeah, he _seems_ like that kinda guy," replies Gibbs. Kate notices the emphasis on the 'seems'.

"What do you mean by that?" asks a confused Kate.

Gibbs doesn't respond, as a silver convertible pulls up driven by a man with salt and pepper hair. Gibbs hops in and kisses the man on his cheek as the car drives away. Kate looks on in bewilderment.

X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Gibb's basement;**

The TV flicks on in the middle of a news report. Agent Theresa Fornell is giving a press conference on site at Air Force One.

"Federal agents working in unison with the Secret Service were able to foil a terrorist attempt to assassinate the President while he was on board Air Force One. The body of the terrorist is being delivered to the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, where FBI forensics experts will endeavor to identify him," says Fornell, addressing the press.

"Was it Al-Qaeda?" asks one reporter.

"That's all we know at this time," answers Fornell.

Gibbs looks from her TV to the boat as she resumes sanding the frame to smoothness.

**xX NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx**

Hello, I'm Greenie

Firstly, I would like to dedicate this chapter to Miss Woozy, author of **Yankee White Tate Style** and its subsequent sequels and to extend my thanks to my Beta-reader L. Hawk for all her help.

This story arose from a simple idea posed in the NCIS forum by nightingaleraven, where they raised the question of what the series would have been like if Gibbs was a woman. Several authors including myself on the forum discussed this idea. After some deliberation, I decided to give it a go, and I hope you all enjoyed.

Each chapter will be each episode though eventually I will diverge from the canon plotline and the series will become further AU as I go but I will endeavor to maintain the characters we all love.

Oh and one last thing, every now and then I'll reference a television show or movie that one of the show's actors has appeared in, lets see how observant you all are.


	2. Hung out to Dry, beta read

Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS or JAG, the episode has been quoted but NCIS remains the property of D.P. Bellisario. Also I have made references to another show that I don't own but to test how perceptive you are I won't name which one yet.

Warning: no warning needed, just read at your own risk

Chapter: (2) Hung out to dry

Chapter Summary: Gibbs and her team investigate why a dead marine's parachute failed and why he didn't pull the reserve

**xX NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx**

**A Park; **

A car is parked under a big tree in the middle of a Park. Two teenagers are making-out in the backseat as music plays on the radio.

"Jimmy. Jimmy, ugh. Stop! I said no!" says the girl pushing him away as he tried to take things further.

"God, hey! I sat my sorry ass on a bus for three hours to hook-up with you," he complains.

"If you only came to _hook-up_, then you should have stayed in Charlottesville," she replies scathingly.

"Oh, come on. You know I love you", he says trying to pull her into another kiss, she tries to push him away but he persists until she has had enough and threatens him.

"Stop it or I'll scream!" she warns him as she tries to get him to stop, but he isn't listening.

Then, a moment later, a pair of legs punch through the roof of the car and splatter the two teens in blood. The girl makes good on her promise and begins screaming loudly. A groan of pain comes from the paratrooper, stuck halfway through the car's roof with his torso sticking out. The girl continues to scream.

xX NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Gibbs basement;**

Gibbs is in her basement working on her boat while football game plays in the background on her television. Tony appears at the top of the stairs.

"Don't you lock the door?" he asks concerned.

"Nope," is Gibb's only answer as she sands one of the sections of the framework. Tony walks down the stairs into the basement.

"We got a call. Quantico. Marine got killed in an exercise," DiNozzo reports. Gibbs indicates for him to elaborate.

"Night training jump. Guy's chute didn't open," explains Tony as he examines wooden frame, which is obviously a boat.

"Is this a boat?" asks Tony. Gibbs gives him a look, that clearly displays how stupid she thinks that question is, then with a shake of her head, goes back to sanding the boat.

"His reserve chute failed too?" she asks sanding the frame.

"I don't know," admits Tony as he walks over to one of the workbenches and looks at jar of orange liquid on tabletop; inside the jar is a cell phone. "Huh. I tried your cell. I tried your hard line, too," he comments. He looks around and sees wall-mounted phone has been ripped out of the wall.

"Don't ask," orders Gibbs. Tony walks around to the same side of the boat as Gibbs.

"You know, my dad gave me a power-sander for my birthday. I don't really power-sand much. You're welcome to it," offers Tony, noting all the hand tools around Gibbs and on the workbenches.

"Except for that bare bulb there and the cord going to that idiot box, you see a power cord around here anywhere?" points out Gibbs.

Tony takes a quick look around just to check, then shrugs when he can't spot any. He strokes a hand slowly along the smoothed surface Gibbs was working on, admiring it.

"You use hand tools, huh?" he admires.

"I use my hands. You call Ducky?" she questions. Tony admits that he hadn't yet. Gibbs unties her loose pony tail, retying into a her trademark tight bun as she walks up the stairs

"Give me your cell," she orders, holding out her hand. Tony tosses Gibbs his cell phone; he turns around to look at the broken telephone that Gibbs ripped down. Gibbs exits the basement calling back down to DiNozzo to hurry up as she turns off the basement light, plunging the room into pitch black.

xX NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**The ****park:**

The area around the car, with the paratrooper's body still in it, is lit by several large lights. A military jeep and the NCIS mobile response unit are already on scene. Gibbs and Tony walk to the car, escorted by a Marine.

"He impaled an SUV?" comments DiNozzo, wanting confirmation of what he is seeing.

"Like he was laser-guided, sir," confirms the Marine.

"Where are the other jumpers?" asks Gibbs. The Marine points to a small group of Marines as Gibbs continues to question the Marine concerning the other jumpers.

"Over there, ma'am. They landed in the drop zone 400 meters north of the road," the Marine informs Gibbs. She asks whether or not the rest of the Marine's stayed on the plane.

"Yes, ma'am. I guess the Jump Master held the others back when the victim's chute didn't open," replies the Marine

"Did you secure the paraloft and the aircraft?" questions Gibbs.

"Yes, ma'am. I also have the Marines who didn't make the jump under guard at the hanger," replies the Marine.

"Yeah, put them with the others. Just keep 'em all separated," she instructs the Marine. Gibbs and Tony walk over to the two teens, who she figures are the witnesses.

"My dad's gonna kill me. He's on duty, and he doesn't know that I took his SUV," groans the girl.

"So your dad's a Marine?" Gibbs asks the girl. The girl confirms that her dad is a marine.

"Master Sergeant Tom Schaefer, ma'am. He's a TI at Quantico," supplies the Marine, informing Gibbs of who the girl's father is. Gibbs tries to question the boy but is irritated by how rude the boy is as he sits there smoking.

"You cold, Sarah?" Gibbs asks the younger woman. The girl now identified as Sarah, admits she is, Gibbs goes and rips the obnoxious boy's jacket right off him. The boy barely protests, just keeps smoking. Gibbs drapes the jacket around Sarah's shoulders.

"Special Agent Gibbs, Special Agent DiNozzo. NCIS. Want to tell us what happened?" says Gibbs, introducing herself and Tony. The two teens explain how they had been '_parked' _and had been listening to _emo_ music when Tony has to explain to Gibbs what emo is. Gibbs just looks annoyed and turns back to Sarah.

"Ok so you were listening to the radio and…" she trails off, allowing Sarah to continue her account of events

"He smashed through the roof," Sarah says.

"Wham, pow, blood everywhere," adds her boyfriend.

"And I screamed, and we ran out for help," says Sarah continuing her account of events.

"I met them about a klick down the road on our way to the scene," confirms the marine.

"I felt bad for leaving him there. I heard him groan," she recounts.

"It was a death rattle," says her boyfriend defensively. Gibbs turns to glare at the boy.

"You ever hear a death rattle?" Gibbs asks tersely.

"I was using it as a trope," says the boy, flinching under the red-haired woman's glare.

"A trope. A figurative use of expression," he explains, waving hands as he does, answering Gibb's question of what a trope was. Gibbs orders the Marine to call Sarah's dad to have him pick the two teens up, since the father would likely want to have a word with his daughter's boyfriend. The boy looks worried, cigarette forgotten in his hand.

Gibbs, Tony, and the Marine walk to the SUV with the paratrooper's body stuck in its roof. Ducky is standing on a ladder beside the vehicle so he could climb to the roof to examine the body.

"Ducky's here," states Gibbs.

"Yeah, and on a ladder. I'll get the monopod," says Tony as he goes to fetch the required equipment.

"Last time I was up this high I was hanging a piñata at my nephew's birthday party," comments Ducky.

"What do we got, Duck?" she asks her medical examiner.

"Oh, abrasions," Ducky looks up. "The tree must have slowed him a bit. Purple discoloration – neck's broken, I'd say. Hardly surprising given the rapid descent followed by the equally rapid deceleration," theorizes Ducky.

"Witnesses over there said he groaned after he decelerated" Gibbs informs Ducky.

"It's possible. I won't know until I do the autopsy," admits Ducky.

Gibbs pulls on a set of gloves and begins examining the parachute with a flashlight.

"Looks like a number of his shroud lines failed. Enough of those go, chute doesn't catch air. It tootsie-rolls; puts you down like a roman candle," comments Gibbs, further examining the shroud lines.

"They cut?" asks Ducky, looking over to Gibbs.

"Nah, they look worn," answers Gibbs. She looks up to the body. "Still got his reserve chute on. Why didn't he pull it?" she asks the medical examiner aloud.

"Hey! Look who I found," says Tony, cheerfully interrupting them as he escorts the newest member of the team, Agent Kate Todd. Kate is dressed in a business suit with a skirt and high heels.

"MPs weren't gonna let her pass," he informs the others as he gets closer.

"I got my Sig and badge, but HQ didn't issue my photo ID," she informs her new team when she notices the body.

"God, is this for real?" she questions aloud.

"Unfortunately, my dear, it is," answers Ducky. Gibbs hands the other woman a pair of gloves and instructs her to put them on.

"Ah, your first crime scene with us, Caitlin, and before you mention Air Force One it doesn't count, you were in the Secret Service then," Ducky states, smiling at her jovially. She lets outs a small laugh since she'd been moments away from mentioning Air Force One.

"You know Caitlin, you actually remind me of someone, a chief medical examiner who works in Boston, a very attractive woman, if a little socially awkward, I'm considering asking her out for dinner next time I find myself in Boston, unfortunately her name escapes me at the moment," comments Ducky as he trails off trying to remember the woman's name. He abruptly shakes his head before addressing Tony; "Hey, Tony, take a team photo for posterity," suggests Ducky in his normal, jovial manner.

"Forget posterity. Sun's gonna be up soon. Welcome to NCIS," Gibbs says as she hands the other woman a box. Kate opens the box to find a pair of boots inside.

"How'd you know my size?" asks Kate amused and confused by Gibbs. Gibbs just smirks knowingly and places a cap on Kate's head.

"Put 'em on. Can't work a field in high heels," instructs Gibbs.

"Depends on the kind of work you're doing," comments DiNozzo cheekily.

"Your mind, DiNozzo, runs the gamut from X to XXX," Kate comments back. Tony doesn't deny this rather he agrees with her flashing her his charming smile. Kate scolds herself mentally when she feels her stomach flutter slightly in response to his million dollar smile. Kate promptly turns away and heads off to put her new boots on.

"Photos, Tony!" barks Gibbs as she follows Kate. Tony sighs as lifts camera mounted on monopod up to roof to take pictures of body.

"Ducky? Why would Gibbs rip her hard line out and dunk her cell phone into a jar of paint thinner?" asks Tony, remembering what he'd seen when he went a picked up their boss.

"Oh, dear," mutters Ducky.

"What?" Tony asks the medical examiner.

"I should have realized the time of year," Ducky says to himself as he climbs down and hops into car.

"It's her anniversary," he states simply.

"Which marriage?" DiNozzo asks, seeking clarification.

"Why, the last one of course. Isn't it always?" comments Ducky.

Tony takes some pictures around the outside of the SUV while Ducky examines the body's legs, after a moment Tony pops into the car beside Ducky. "Ducky, I'm not following," he admits.

"Every year, ex-husband number three gets drunk on their anniversary and calls her asking to take him back. Repeatedly," the medical examiner informs the senior field agent.

"Why doesn't she, uh, change her number?" suggests Tony.

"I have no idea. In case you haven't noticed, Gibbs is a woman of more questions than answers," comments Ducky wryly.

The two men chuckle to themselves as Gibbs and Kate return, Kate wearing the boots and her hair tucked under the NCIS cap. Tony jumps out of the car and snaps a picture of the two women.

"Thanks, DiNozzo," Kate says sarcastically.

"Hey, you two could be the NCIS poster-girls in those outfits," he suggests, his charming grin at full ball. Kate seems unaffected by it outwardly but internally she's scolding herself once more.

"Hey Duck, how long you reckon before they break rule 12?" whispers Gibbs. Ducky looks over to Kate and Tony and watches them interact for a moment.

"I'd estimate about a year," comments Ducky wryly.

"You willing to back up that estimate?" she asks mischievously.

"$50 dollars sufficient back up my dear?" he replies.

Gibbs grins. "I'll say 20 months give or take a month; he initiates," says the redhead; Ducky offers his hand to finalize the bet. Gibbs accepts, and the pair shake hands quickly.

"I'm a little surprised that you were the one to suggest the bet my dear," comments Ducky quietly.

"I'm not stupid enough to believe that office romances won't happen. Attraction can only be denied for so long and I can only hit Tony so much before I cause brain damage," she admits, adding a little joke at the end.

"What does your gut tell you about Anthony and Caitlin?" asks Ducky.

"Tony needs remember what it means to commit. And he needs to grow up… a lot," she comments becoming lost in thought.

After a moment of silence, Ducky speaks up. "Abby'll run the pool I suppose," says Ducky, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"You trust anyone else with our money Duck?" replies Gibbs, earning a chuckle from Ducky. Tony and Kate are completely unaware that the betting pool concerning them had just been founded, or that it would spread to include most of NCIS, several people in the FBI and the Secret service, and even US President George Bush betting on when the pair would become a couple.

xX NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Quantico airplane hanger:**

The tail end of the aircraft is sticking out of the open hanger doors. The back ramp of the plane is open. Lined up underneath the plane are the Marines that were involved in the jump, and their parachutes.

Gibbs, Tony, and Kate are met by a disgruntled Marine.

"You JAG or NCIS?" asks the Marine Captain tersely.

"Do I look like a lawyer?" retorts Gibbs.

"Word's all over the base by now. My men can't even call their families and let them know they're not the one who died," says the Captain Faul angrily, upset on behalf of his men.

"Was Sergeant Fuentes married?" asks Gibbs unaffected by the Marine's displeasure.

"He has a wife and son," answers the Marine.

"Notification detail should be there to talk to her by now. Word will get out he was killed," she informs the Marine.

"Sergeant Fuentes was under my command. I'd like to see her," the Marine states.

"After we finish questioning you and your men," she remarks.

"How long is that gonna take?" questions the Marine, obviously annoyed at NCIS for holding him and his men.

"I don't know," admits Gibbs.

"These men have another jump at 21:00," the Marine informs the NCIS agents.

"They're jumping again _tonight_?" exclaims a shocked Kate,

"We don't stop for casualties in war, miss. Neither do we in training," states the Marine daring them to argue.

"Not true, Captain. They don't jump off a lower bunk until we find out what happened," argues Gibbs, unfazed by the Marine's obvious attempt to intimidate them.

"I don't take orders from NCIS cops," he replies insultingly, using every inch of height to stand over Gibbs. She is still unfazed by the Marine's attempts at intimidation.

"Special Agents. And you'll follow this order," she informs him.

He glowers at her "Or what, Special Agent?" he threatens.

Gibbs pulls out DiNozzo's cell phone from her pocket and hits speed dial.

"I don't take orders from your boss either," he sneers.

"I'm not calling my boss; I'm calling yours," says Gibbs. There is a tense moment as she waits for the person on the other end to answer.

"Commandant Mae? Special Agent Gibbs, NCIS," she says into the phone, watching the marine captain. He glares at her once more before turning and walking off. Gibbs waits until he's gone, then closes the phone.

"I don't have a Commandant of the Marine Corps on my speed dial," Tony informs Kate.

"Captain Faul didn't know that," Gibbs points out they walk over to the plane. "Alright DiNozzo, shoot and sketch. Focus on the static lines, Kate and I'll start the interrogation," she says, handing out orders to her team.

"Jumping's gotta be so cool," says Tony excitedly as he climbs into the air plane.

"Hey! You wanna play paratrooper, pay a $180. Take a class, like all those other weekend warriors," suggests Gibbs, before she leads Kate away to start the interrogation.

Tony leans out the back of the plane.

"Yeah, I have _so many_ weekends free!" he shouts sarcastically to his boss. Gibbs and Kate ignore his little out burst as they re-enter the hanger. Tony stands on the rear hatch of the plane, hands in his pockets, smirking.

Inside the hanger, Gibbs and Kate are interrogating the other Marine jumpers. Gibbs asks the four marines who jumped if Fuentes was the first to jump.

"Yes, sir. I was number two, Ramsey was three, Brinkman four," says Dafelmair.

"After my shoot deployed, I looked around. I saw Brinkman's chute open above me, but when I looked down I only saw one canopy below. I didn't know whether it was Paul or Thumper," Ramsey says giving the two women his account of events.

"Thumper?" Kate asks, looking for Ramsey to clarify who 'Thumper' was.

"That's what we called Fuentes, ma'am," Ramsey elaborates.

"Sounds crazy now, but he was the squad's good-luck guy, ma'am," adds Brinkman.

"He was a walking rabbit's foot," comments Ramsey. Kate nods. "Yes, ma'am. He always seemed to dodge the bullets. We could tell you a million stories," boasts Ramsey slightly.

"Why don't you tell us just one," suggests Gibbs.

"Well, ma'am, Larry bought a new bike last week. Car ran a red light, he went over it and into a plate glass window," Ramsey says.

"Dinged his collarbone a little. Other than that, not a scratch," added Dafelmair.

"Dinged it a little?" asks Gibbs indicating that she wanted him to elaborate.

"Day or two, he was fine, ma'am," elaborates Dafelmair. Gibbs lets out a snort of amusement.

"Who reached him first?" Gibbs asks.

"I did, ma'am. I saw him Roman candle short of the field. Soon as I got out of my harness, I took off to find him," replies Dafelmair. Gibbs motions for Brinkman and Ramsey to explain where they were when they landed.

"I hung up in a tree. Dave gave me a hand. Saw Paul yelling, we joined him," Brinkman recounts. "Can't believe we let Thumper die. It's like a bad movie," comments Ramsey.

"Was he dead when you reached him, Corporal Dafelmair?" she asks

"Yes, ma'am. Died on impact, ma'am. I'm sure… well, at least I hope he did," wonders Dafelmair, looking a little pale at the thought.

"Why didn't he pull his reserve?" interjects Kate.

"Jumping from 1300ft, your main fails? You have three, maybe four seconds to react, ma'am," theorizes Brinkman.

"Okay. Each of you need to prepare a statement detailing what you saw," Gibbs orders the Marines. The Marine salute and go to pick up their parachutes, but Gibbs stops them. She informs them that their gear now belongs to NCIS for investigation.

The Marines share a look, then leave Gibbs and Kate alone. They watch them go. Gibbs asks Kate what information she gleamed from the Marines as the two women exit the hanger. Kate replies that they learned that the marine didn't have time to pull his reserve because he'd injured his collar bone. Gibbs nods in agreement.

"Injured clavicle hurts like hell. Takes more than a couple of days to heal," the red-head specifies.

"You think Corporal Dafelmair was lying?" asks the brunette woman.

"He was if he knew that Thumper was taking painkillers so he could jump," says Gibbs. Kate comments on how stupid she feels that is.

"No. That's a Marine" says Gibbs.

xX NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**NCIS Autopsy;**

Dr. Mallard is outlining the victim's various injuries to Gibbs and Kate, using the x-rays as visuals as he goes. He lists the various injuries, including the broken neck, crushed vertebrae and multiple fractures on the victim's legs and hips.

"What about his clavicle?" asks Gibbs interrupting the doctor.

"With all the massive skeletal damage, you're curious about his clavicle?" asks a confused Ducky.

"Humor me," she replies. Ducky pulls down the x-ray for the marine's neck and examines it.

"Huh, how did you know? There's a fine hairline fracture on the left clavicle, which he…" says Ducky but is cut off as Kate offers her own input.

"Incurred recently, but not last night," the brunette woman supplies.

"No, it's begun to mend," the medical examiner admits. He turns to look the two women, "You two are beginning to scare me. Maybe I should reconsider my opinion on whether or not women really can read men's minds," he mutters.

"Don't worry Ducky, your mind's safe, Tony's on the other hand is far too easy," comments Gibbs. "Yeah, his mind runs from X to XXX," adds Kate.

"And also movies, sports, cars and guitars," comments Gibbs.

"Guitars and cars?" questions Kate.

"Yes, Anthony plays the guitar; his skill though, is dependant on how much he wishes to annoy those around him," supplies Ducky wryly.

"I build boats in my basement, Tony rebuilds muscle cars at a storage facility he rents," adds Gibbs shrugging her shoulders. "I think he's working on a mustang at the moment," ponders Gibbs.

"Yes I do believe his current project is a '76 mustang," agrees Ducky.

"Used to own a Dodge Charger when I was younger, left it with my father when I joined the Marines, don't know what happened to it. Tony'd drool all over it if he saw it, and beg me for a drive," she comments idly, remembering her first car. She shakes herself out of her memories.

"Ducky, would that fracture pain him much?" asks the red-haired woman.

"Oh, nothing too severe. But of course, the shock of a parachute opening would have hurt like blazes," explains Ducky, as he points at x-ray, "How _did_ you know?" he asks.

"The girl in the SUV said she heard him moan. Was he alive after impact?" admits Gibbs, following up with another question. Ducky admits that the marine may have been alive briefly. Ducky heads over to the body. Kate moves to follow, but Ducky stops her, informing her that he'd show it on the monitor. Kate and Gibbs walk over to the screen.

"He most certainly would have died of massive trauma, but the technical cause of death was severing of the femoral artery," states the medical examiner.

Ducky pulls down a camera probe and inserts the camera into the wound. Gibbs and Kate watch the big screen monitor mounted on the wall while he explains. Kate looks queasy at the graphic image.

"Yes. Our young Marine… bled to death," confirms Ducky.

xX NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Abby's lab;**

Abby is hanging a picture on her wall when Tony walks in and asks why she's changing her pictures. Abby informs him that art can't stay still, Tony replies that the old one was his favorite. He then asks her what the subject of the new picture is.

"It's a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the abdomen," gushed Abby.

"Of course!" Tony agrees in good humor.

"I'm gonna call it 'Blast from the Future'. I figure with my shotgun shattered backbone," she points at other picture on opposite wall, "I've got like a Chagall feeling going on," gushes Abby.

"Ah, in a Manson Family way," agrees Tony. Abby and Tony admire the artworks for a moment when Gibbs and Kate enter.

"Abby, you have my tox screen results?" asks the red head. Abby nods and leads the others over to her computer. Gibbs and Kate walk around to the screen on the wall.

"The victim tested positive for percocet and vicodin. Double your pleasure," she explains.

"Double your fun," adds Tony. Abby and Tony high five.

"What kind of levels?" asks Gibbs bringing the pair's attention back to the results.

"0.17. He was slow juiced, like a koala bear. My guess is that he popped right before he dropped," explains Abby.

"The Marines we questioned in his string probably knew," theorizes the red head.

"Why didn't they tell us?" Kate wonders aloud.

"Semper Fi. You rat, you fry," chirps Abby happily performing a mock salute as she did. Gibbs gives Abby a look. She sobers and quickly apologizes remembering that the Marines are one topic you don't joke about in Gibbs' presence.

"Was his reserve chute okay?" Gibbs asks Abby once more returning Abby's attention back to the case at hand. Gibbs and Abby move to stand on the other side of Abby's lab equipment talking to the lab technician through the spaces between computer screens.

"Yeah, it was perfect. All he had to do was pop it," confirms Abby illustrating her point by miming the actions.

"Well he might have, if his reflexes weren't slowed by opioids," theorizes Kate. Tony questions what opioids are.

"General term for opiates and synthetic analgesics," elaborates Kate confused by Tony's apparent lack of knowledge on the matter.

"Go Kate!" cheers Abby. They bump fists across Abby's desk. Gibbs questions aloud whether or not Tony really was a Baltimore cop. Tony pulls a displeased face causing Abby to smirk. Both Abby and Gibbs know that Tony knows what opioids are and that he was probably testing Kate.

"Okay, he was too juiced to pop his reserve," rationalizes Kate.

"Maybe. Maybe not. Pump adrenalin when you jump. Your main chute doesn't open, it would really kick in to high gear," debates Gibbs.

"Gibbs, if he had the reflexes to use it, why didn't he?" the brunette woman argues back.

"I don't know," admits the red head. She turns to Abby.

"What you'd find from the shroud lines of his main chute?" she asks the Goth. Abby leads the others into her other lab area.

"Fibre disintegration, but not from textile fatigue. It's fluorescing as some sort of cleaning agent," explains the Goth scientist as she runs a UV light over the broken lines. "But that didn't cause this kind of damage," she continues.

"Edges look melted," notes Kate, leaning over the parachute lines.

"I haven't tagged it yet, but it was definitely an acid that shredded the lines holding three hundred pounds of jumping Marine," admits Abby reassuring Gibbs that she was getting to it.

"How long to find the acid and check out the rest of those chutes?" she asks the lab rat

"Well I'm flying solo, so at least a day," admits Abby.

"Would it go faster if you had an assistant?" asks the redhead, wanting the results as soon as possible. Abby confirms that an assistant would make the job go quicker.

"Okay Kate, You got the job," states Gibbs.

"I get to do forensics?" exclaims an excited Kate.

"No, you get to schlepp for Abby. She gets to do forensics," states Gibbs as she and Tony leave the lab. Abby hands Kate a lab coat. They smile happily at each other.

xX NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Quantico Paraloft**

Tony is taking pictures of the paraloft while Gibbs is speaking to Corpral Dafelmair as the marine in preparing various parachutes. Gibbs is questioning Dafelmair why he withheld the information that he was a rigger. Gibbs then has the Corporal explain the protocol for packing a chute. Dafelmair signs the log on the parachute. Gibbs picks it up and compares it to the one from Sergeant Fuentes' chute.

"Same signature," notes Gibbs.

"That was the log from Thumper's chute, wasn't it, sir?" asks Dafelmair.

"Yup, you packed it," confirms Gibbs. She starts to walk away. Dafelmair anxiously races after her while Tony follows behind them at a slight distance.

"Ma'am, I didn't know he'd get one that I packed. The chutes are handed out randomly, even when we jump," states the Marine nervously.

"Riggers usually go on jumps?" questions Gibbs, still walking. Dafelmair confirms that riggers are required to go one training jumps. Dafelmair then lists all of the riggers that jumped the previous night.

"Uh, Corporal Ramsey, Brinkman, and Thumper, of course. He was senior rigger," lists the marine.

"Figured we knew that too?" she accuses Dafelmair.

"Ma'am, we weren't trying to hide anything," he pleads.

"Oh, like hell you weren't, Corporal!" shouts an exasperated Gibbs.

"You all knew Thumper was using painkillers for that dinged collarbone," theorizes Tony as he pulls the tag on a chute, causing the chute to burst out of its packing, "He died because he was too juiced to pull his reserve," he continues.

"Ma'am, there was not way for anyone to sabotage a chute and count on it getting to a specific jumper," Dafelmair says addressing Gibbs.

"Were all the chutes packed here?" she asks motioning to all of the packed chutes on the tables.

"Yes, we prepped them at 09:00. Put them on the trucks for the jump at 18:00," confirms Dafelmair.

"They were here for nine hours unattended?" questions Gibbs.

"Under lock and key, ma'am," the marine reassures her. She asks who has keys.

"Captain Faul and Thumper, as senior rigger, both have keys," answers the Marine.

Gibbs and Tony share a look. Gibbs opens up a folder containing a police report concerning Corporal Dafelmair.

"You had a criminal record before entering the Corps, Corporal," states Gibbs re-reading the police report.

"Made a few mistakes, ma'am," he admits looking uncomfortable.

"Shoplifting (pause) and drug possession," lists the red head woman.

"It was a long time ago, ma'am," argues the Marine nervously.

"Three years. Not so long," comments Tony.

"Look, Ma'am, you have my file. You know the judge gave me a choice. Prison or the Service. The Corps gave me a second chance, Ma'am. And I would never do anything to hurt it or one of my brother Marines. Never, ma'am," argues Dafelmair as Gibbs and Tony watch him like two hawks.

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**Abby's Lab**

Kate is helping Abby to prepare specimens of the shroud lines so she can analyze the acid by snipping ends off the lines and placing them in various specimen containers. The computer beeps and Kate and Abby read over the results.

"Sulfuric acid! That would chew the shine off a trailer hitch," comments Abby grinning. Kate looks excited and impressed and returns Abby's grin.

"How'd you get into this?" asks Kate.

"Filled out an application," answers Abby walking off, answering the question as if it is the most obvious thing in the world.

"I mean, forensics," Kate specifies.

"Oh, uh, when I was a kid, we lived near this lot where they brought all the burned out hulks from the narliest car wrecks. I used to sneak in there at night and take pictures," Kate nods. "It wasn't about the gore. It was about figuring out how things happened. You know, like action and reaction and the science of the whole thing. I got hooked," explains Abby. "How 'bout you?" she asks Kate

"Actually, I wanted to be a lawyer. I did a year of law school. Felt like ten years in prison," admits Kate folding her arms in front of her chest to protect her self from the horrible memories surfacing in her mind.

"With really boring inmates?" jokes Abby, pulling Kate out of her memories. Kate chuckles in response.

"Admit it. You just like strapping on a gun," teases Abby.

"More than one," admits a slightly proud Kate.

"Really? You packing more heat than meets the eye?" asks Abby impressed inspecting Kate for any signs of more concealed weapons. Kate nods.

"Those your only tattoos?" asks Kate.

"You show me yours, I'll show you mine," Abby replies. Kate laughs but looks thoughtful.

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**Quantico base jumping school**

Gibbs and DiNozzo are walking past a training area where an instructor is teaching new jumpers how to roll when they hit the ground after jumping off a platform into a sand pit.

"You ever jump?" asks Tony referring to Gibbs days as a Marine.

"When I get an electric shock," she replies.

"Explains the lack of power tools," comments Tony more to himself than to the woman beside him. She points at the trainees taking turns jumping off the platform.

"You gonna do it?" she asks.

"What?" asks Tony having not been paying attention, rather he'd been lost in daydreams about flying.

"Spend $180 to defy gravity," she clarifies.

"Yeah, I think I am," says Tony puffing out his chest and flashing Gibbs his best and most cocky smile. She appears unaffected. A Marine is calling to Gibbs from a distance as he runs to the two NCIS agents. Gibbs and Tony turn around. The Marine jogs up to them carrying a mail package. He hands it to Gibbs.

"This came for you, Ma'am. I just missed you at the paraloft," the Marine explains.

"Thank you, Lance Corporal," thanks Gibbs.

"Okay, Ma'am," he replies as he turns to leave.

"Who's it from?" asks a nosy and curious Tony. Gibbs inspects the package and reads the return senders address and recognizes both the address and handwriting as belonging to Ducky. She opens the package. The package contains a new cell phone though the box looks like it has been opened before. When Gibbs pulls the phone out of the box, a note falls to the ground. Tony picks it up and reads it.

"Jennifer, bean counters couldn't find you so they gave this to me. I suggest you read the instructions on call blocking," he reads aloud.

"That addressed to you?" she says sarcastically snatching the note back. The new phone rings. Tony cracks a joke about it working as Gibbs answers it.

"Gibbs. Yeah, I'll be there in twenty," answers. She hangs up, they go back to watching the trainees.

"You know, some of these guys freeze on their first jump. Have to be kicked in the ass to get 'em out," she comments.

"Not me," defends Tony once again puffing out his chest.

"No. You fall into the category where I want to kick you in the ass while you're still on the ground," she deadpans. She then forcefully shoves the empty box into Tony's gut, making him grunt. Gibbs leaves while Tony lingers to watch the trainees.

xX NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Abby's lab;**

Abby has the parachute spread out all over the lab. The lines are stretched taught in every direction like a spider's web. Abby moves through them carefully scanning each with a UV light. Gibbs and Tony walk in. Tony and Abby immediately begin discussing the electric blue lights, comparing them to kool-aid and the Blue Man group, until Kate interrupts them and steers the conversation back to the case by reporting the findings directly to Gibbs.

"Sergeant Fuentes's chute wasn't the only one tampered with," she reports then goes on to explain further when Gibbs question show many were tampered with.

"Nine, out of sixteen. Log book signatures show different riggers packed the lot," the brunette woman elaborates.

"How many did Corporal Dafelmair pack?" asks the red-haired woman.

"Four. The rest were packed by Corporal Brinkman and Sergeant Fuentes," answers Kate.

"Corporal Ramsey didn't pack any?" asks Tony.

"Nope. When his signature didn't show up on a single chute, I called Captain Faul. He put Corporal Ramsey on a two-week rigging suspension for sloppy work. And guess who wrote him up for that sloppy work," she asks rhetorically.

"Senior rigger. Sergeant Fuentes," guesses Gibbs. Kate nods.

"We got motive," states Tony.

"We got more than that. Kate and I have a theory," announces Abby. She heads in the direction of her office while the rest of the team follows her.

"Why didn't you take to me this fast?" asks Tony slightly jealous.

"You're like a piercing, Tony. Takes a while for the throbbing to stop and the skin to grow back. That and you didn't stop flirting with me till Gibbs slapped you," replied Abby.

"That's more than I wanted to know and to be fair you did flirt back," he replies smiling ruefully. Gibbs steers the conversation back to the case at hand by asking what Abby and Kate's theory is.

"Okay. Every time you lace up your Docs or cinch your laundry bag, you leave some skin cells behind. It's the same with the parachute rigging," she explains. She types at her computer as she continues to explain, "I pulled skin samples from the deployment bags of the chutes that were futzed with."

"Did you get a DNA signature?" Gibbs asks the Goth.

"All nine knots had a number of different sets of skin samples, but there's only set that's common to all nine," she answers.

"The saboteur," states Gibbs.

"Our riggers on record packed the chutes, and then someone came in and repacked them, leaving some skin behind," theorizes Kate.

"Corporal Ramsey?" Tony suggests.

"Well, depending on how much he knows about forensics, he's either very smart or very dumb," comments Abby.

"There's gotta be other chutes that Corporal Ramsey packed in the paraloft inventory for comparison," states the red haired woman.

"Hnn, negatory. I checked. They were all packed since he's been suspended," answers Abby apologetically.

"Well there's an Armed Forces DNA registry. All military personnel are on record, right?" suggests Kate. Gibbs walks around Abby's desk and looks up at the screen.

"Yeah," agrees Gibbs already knowing what Kate was about to say next.

"Then we got our guy," says the brunette. Gibbs just sighs.

"No. All we got is a pile of dead skin. The only thing you can use the DNA registry for is to identify a body," she says resignedly turning back to the others and leans on the back of Abby's desk, while already formulating an idea involving a certain JAG lawyer.

"Well there has to be a way around that," argues Kate just as Gibbs knew she would.

"See, now you're thinking like an NCIS agent," says Gibbs proudly. Kate grins, pleased.

xX NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**NCIS, Interrogation Room;**

"We know that nine parachutes were rigged to fail. Killer doctored them and repacked them. Sergeant Fuentes died as a result of that. It's premeditated murder," Says Gibbs as she walks around a desk to stand behind Lt. Bud Roberts.

"I'm sold. Hey, if I'm on the jury, you've got my vote," he says to Gibbs.

"We found DNA evidence on the chute deployment bag knots," adds Kate trying to strengthen their case.

"Belonging to your suspect?" asks the JAG Lawyer trying to follow Gibbs movement as she walks around behind him managing to stay in the lawyers blind spot.

"We believe so. To be certain, we have to access the Armed Forces registry," admits Kate. Bud scoffs.

"That's impossible! Registry was set up to identify remains only. She knows that," he says pointing to the red haired woman as she came into view on his left side.

"I do?" says Gibbs playing innocent.

"You tried to use it when you after Commander Rabb, for murder," he says seriously looking her directly in the eyes.

"She get him?" Kate asks curiously.

"No, because he wasn't guilty," says Bud defending his friend. "You couldn't use the DNA registry then, what makes you think you can use it now?" he asks the two women.

"You, lieutenant, you're a smart lawyer," she compliments as she lurks over Bud's shoulder and takes his pen, "And you know the law," she adds. Gibbs starts clicking the pen next to Bud's ears, one side then the other pulling away each time just as the lawyer would turn to face her.

"I know why I'm here," Lt. Roberts says, his irritation present in his tone of voice.

"Oh, I hope so. I requested you," says Gibbs conversationally.

"Yeah, you requested me because you think you can work me like you did last time when "I ratted out Commander Rabb," he replies, clearly annoyed with Gibbs and with himself.

"You did not _rat_ on anyone. You told the truth," says Gibbs, trying to placate the lawyer. She starts looking for lint on Bud's shoulder, plucking at his shoulders for lint.

"I, uh, gave my uniform an extra lint roll this morning, Agent Gibbs. And you waltzing around in my blind spot? Not gonna intimidate me this time," he says, trying to hide his uneasiness that Gibbs is causing.

"Were at 24 hours now, soon it's going to be 48. You've done investigations, you know what that means?" she asks trying to find a common ground with the JAG Lawyer to work with.

"I've done JAG nano-investigations, sure. At 48 hours, you're evidence begins to degrade. Disappeared witnesses change their stories, suspects improve theirs. I know," admits Bud.

"So help us," pleads Kate.

"No! You're not going to get me to lawyer you passed an iron-clad prohibition that prevents tapping into DNA records that were designed to identify bodies. Not chase suspects," argues Bud.

"This guy is guilty. He killed him. Let him drop to his death from 1300ft," Gibbs says, leaning over the JAG Lawyer and getting right up close into his face.

"It doesn't matter," argues Bud seriously.

"For every legal firewall, there is a way around it," comments Gibbs moving to pull some official documents out of her file. Bud just shakes his head.

"I can't help you. And can I please have my pen back?" he apologizes sincerely, wanting to help the two women. Gibbs returns his pen.

"You're gonna need it, because if I can't have my DNA I'm gonna need some search authorizations signed," she says, revealing that the documents she had placed on the table are for search authorization. She smiles conspiratorially at Kate.

xX NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**NCIS HQ, Bullpen;**

"You knew Lieutenant Roberts wasn't going to lawyer us access to the military database," she accuses the other woman.

"Did I?" asks Gibbs innocently. Kate has already seen this particular innocent look a couple times and has learnt that the Gibbs was anything but innocent.

"You did. So why go through the exercise?" she asks, trying to figure out Gibbs plan.

"Kate, I come from a long line of horse traders. First rule, you pick the best horse in the barn and you work the deal until it bursts," explains Gibbs.

"That way, when you go for the second best nag, you get her for a song," adds Tony, interjecting as he remembered the first time Gibbs had explained it to him. Kate realizes what the other woman had done.

"The search authorization," she says aloud.

"We didn't have probable cause. But the lieutenant, he's a man who aims to please. You never work the system, when you can work the people," she says conspiratorially.

"Any of those horse traders you come from get hung?" asks the brunette woman wryly.

"Yeah, a few," admits Gibbs, as she walks around her desk smirking. Kate nods, unsurprised.

"Did you find out what Ramsey was written up for?" asks Gibbs addressing Tony. Tony looks down at the clipboard in his hands.

"Ah, yeah. Frayed lines, bent cones, cuts in the canopy," he reads aloud from a clipboard. "Tell ya, I hope this guy isn't going to medical school at night," he jokes. He then remembers something. "Oh, yeah! Scuttle butt is," he starts to say but is cut off when Kate asks what scuttlebutt is.

"That's Marine, for water cooler gossip," Gibbs explains to the other woman. Kate nods in understanding.

"The scuttle butt is that Ramsey took a swing at Thumper for getting him suspended," continues Tony.

Gibbs's cell phone rings. She pulls it out to look at the call display.

"Identity withheld," mutters Gibbs to herself.

"Probably the reason you married him," comments Tony. Kate looks up, interested. Gibbs looks annoyed.

"He probably hid his real personality. Which is odd as it is usually what most women do, not men," says Tony, unaware of the looks he is receiving from the two women. Kate gives him a disgruntled look. The phone continues to ring.

"And by that time, it was too late, because you'd already…" he continues finally noticing the disgruntled glares he is receiving. Gibbs is just daring him to finish that sentence. Tony wisely withdraws and physically backs away. The phone keeps ringing.

"I'm gonna shut up now," says Tony.

"_Now_?" says Gibbs sarcastically. Kate rolls her eyes at Tony's obliviousness to his surroundings. Tony slinks back to his own desk. Quietly.

"Did you really just say _what most women do_ and imply that men never hide their true personalities?" Kate demands glowering at him. Tony just gives her a petulant look.

"Meet me at the paraloft at 14:00. We'll execute our search authorization to go through the riggers' lockers," orders Gibbs as she gets up grabbing her handbag as she walks past the other two agents.

"That's two o'clock Secret Service time, Kate," says Tony as he walks over to her desk on his way out.

"We used Zulu time, Tony," she informs him smugly as she grabs her own gear. Tony scratches his chin trying to do the math when Kate cuts him off with the correct answer. He then tries to defend his pride by pretending that he already knew the answer.

Gibbs shakes her head as they enter, the lift Tony turns to Gibbs.

"Any chance of hiring another _male_ agent for this team boss, I'm feeling out numbered here," asks Tony glancing at Gibbs beside him and Kate behind him. Both women still disgruntled at his earlier comments.

"And here I was thinking you were happy being surrounded by women," retorts Gibbs as she closes the lift doors, sealing Tony in with the two annoyed women.

xX NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Fuentes residence;**

Gibbs is approaching the Fuentes house when she notices a young boy sitting in an unfinished tree house. Gibbs looks at him as she walks up to the door. The she pauses, changes her mind, and approaches the kid instead.

"Hey. Can I come up?" she asks politely. The boy doesn't answer.

"Do I need a password?" she asks but receives no answer. "Ah, maybe I'll just come up a little," she says acquiesces.

Gibbs climbs up the ladder until she can see the kid. The kid is sitting despondently, rubbing his eyes to wipe the tears that have trailed down his face. The tree house he is sitting on is little more than a platform attached to the tree with posts at the corners.

"You really should have a password," she suggests. The boy finally turns to look at Gibbs; he is struggling to hold back tears.

"Why? It's never gonna be finished. My dad's dead," cries the boy.

"Yeah. Yeah, I know," says Gibbs sympathetically. A woman calls from below. Two women are exiting from the house. Gibbs climbs back down the ladder.

"I'm, ah, Jennifer Gibbs. NCIS," she says showing the woman her badge. The woman looks annoyed and upset.

"I don't have time to answer questions. We're on our way to the funeral," says Mrs. Fuentes, Gibbs admits that she isn't there to ask question. Mrs. Fuentes demands to know why the NCIS agent is there when the young boy interrupts the two women.

"She says I need a password, mom," he says to his mom as he moves to sit on the edge of the tree house to observe the adults. His mother is visibly confused so Gibbs explains the situation.

"I told him a tree house should have a password," she explains.

"Larry was building that for him," Mrs. Fuentes says sadly looking at the tree.

"Doing a good job," says Gibbs complimenting her deceased husbands work. Mrs. Fuentes turns back to Gibbs

"Larry was a good man. A good husband, and a good father," she states with great pride and sadness in her voice.

"Good Marine," adds Gibbs respectfully.

"There are rumors that his death wasn't an accident," says Mrs. Fuentes, fishing for more information regarding her husbands death.

"Whatever happens, Mrs. Fuentes, I'll find who's responsible," promises Gibbs, not willing to divulge the progress of the investigation.

Mrs. Fuentes calls her son Billy down from his tree house. Billy climbs down the ladder. His mother starts brushing dust/dirt off his suit.

"Ah, look at you. All dusty. Come here, your hair's a mess. Where's your comb?" she asks her son as she straighten his suit for him. The kid pulls a comb from his pocket and begins combing his hair.

"Larry always told him to carry a comb," she explains to Gibbs who watches the scene between mother and child, remembering back to when she'd comb Kelly's hair each night before tucking her in.

"Like J. F. K. Whoever he is," says Billy still combing his hair straight.

"He was a Navy guy, like your dad was a Marine," answers Gibbs as she kneels to kid's level.

"Navy guys, Marines… they always look their best. Your dad would want you to look your best today for him," Gibbs says comforting the young boy. The boy begins to tear up again

"I don't want the Marines at the funeral to see me cry," he admits, his voice chocked with tears.

"Never be ashamed of tears, bud," replies Gibbs. The boy argues that Marines don't cry.

"Yeah, they do. At J. F. K.'s funeral, his son saluted the coffin. You know how to salute?" she asks the Billy. Billy steps back and demonstrates a text-book salute just like his father had shown him. Gibbs smile proudly.

"Perfect. You salute your dad today, nobody'll notice the tears," she says reassuringly. Billy nods. His mother smiles briefly in gratitude. Gibbs stands and Mrs. Fuentes starts to lead her son away. She only gets a few feet before she stops and turns to look at Gibbs.

"I believe you'll get whoever did this," Mrs. Fuentes states more than asks.

"You have my word," Gibbs confirms.

xX NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Quantico Para-training facility**;

Tony is the trainee getting lessons in how to jump and land properly. He's all decked out in the cammo gear, as he and the Marine instructor stand on top of a five foot high wooden platform. The Marine continues to instruct Tony, who is surprised by how simple the instructions are and jokingly asks the instructor, "Don't tell me not to break a leg." The Marine pats him on the back and Tony turns sideways to jump the five feet to the ground. He hits hard, but manages to roll back up to his feet. Gibbs and Kate watch him as they approach. Tony is unaware and looks up.

"How was that?" Tony asks the Marine.

"Very ladylike," Kate calls out getting Tony's attention.

"DiNozzo! What are you doing?" demands Gibbs, as Tony removes his helmet.

"Ah…Just doing a little research for Abby," he lies.

"For Abby?" the former Marine asks obviously doubting Tony's excuse.

"Well, maybe I'm serving two masters," admits Tony, trying to diffuse the situation.

"You're serving one, now," she replies crooking her finger at him motioning him to follow.

"I don't know boss, Abby has whips and chains at her place," jokes Tony. Gibbs turns to glare.

"You're right boss you are the scarier mistress," admits Tony. Kate snorts in laughter imagining Tony being dominated by both women.

"How did you get into NCIS?" Kate asks him as the pair follows Gibbs.

"I smiled," he says grinning. Kate thinks to herself '_Of course you did.'_

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**Quantico paraloft;**

Tony, Kate and Gibbs are getting ready to search the lockers of the riggers, which the Marine explains has been sealed since Fuentes's death. Tony, Gibbs, and Kate snap on gloves. Thumper's string of jumpers are lined up in front of them.

Ramsey, Dafelmair and Brinkman hand over their keys to Kate, Tony and Gibbs respectively. All three perform a thorough search of the lockers. Kate finds a small box full of stuff.

"Got something," she announces. She sets the box down on the table and starts carefully unloading it as Tony and Gibbs join her. Rags, tools, and canister of something. Gibbs picks up the canister and inspects it.

"Brass-stripper solvent," she says aloud. Kate advises her to read the contents the contents. Gibbs flips the container over and tries to read the small print on the back, squinting as she does. She silently passes it back to Tony with a wince accepting that she can't read the writing with out glasses though she wouldn't admit it aloud.

"Contains petroleum distillate, ammonia, and _sulfuric acid,"_ lists Tony reading the contents placing emphasis on the sulfuric acid.

"Harmful if swallowed. Or applied to shroud lines," he adds with mock seriousness. Gibbs turns to Kate who confirms that it was Ramsey's locker.

"That stuff's not mine," pleads the Marine.

"Sergeant Nutt, place the corporal in custody. Tony, read him," she orders him. Tony handcuffs the Marine as he starts reading Ramsey his rights while Gibbs relocks the Marine's locker.

xX NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Interrogation room, NCIS headquarters;**

Gibbs has Corporal Ramsey in the room. Gibbs is twirling the corporal's keys around her finger in silence.

"Scuttle butt has it that you and Thumper mixed it up in the paraloft," she says breaking the silence, her voice is completely conversational.

"We exchanged words, Ma'am," admits Ramsey sitting completely still.

"And fists," accuses Gibbs watching the Marine's reaction.

"Punch or two was thrown, nothing serious. I damn sure wasn't angry enough to kill him, ma'am," he admits curtly.

"Well maybe you only meant to scare him. But Thumper was on painkillers and didn't have time to pull his reserve," theorizes Gibbs.

"I didn't touch his chute, ma'am. How could I? I'm on suspension. The paraloft is under lock and key," Ramsey replies defensively.

Tony enters the observation room. Kate's already there.

"What'd you find?" she asks not looking away from the interrogation room.

"Hardware store where our guy did one-stop shopping. Clerk's pretty fuzzy. He does remember a Marine in a real hurry to copy a key," replies Tony recounting the interview he had with the locksmith. Kate nods as the pair watch Gibbs question the unfortunate Marine.

In the Interrogation room, Gibbs reveals a duplicate key.

"All you needed was a key. Like this one," she says showing him a key. Ramsey looks nervous.

"I found this one in Thumper's personal effects," she states.

"If that's the paraloft key, you won't find one like that on my keychain," states the Corporal nervously. Gibbs compares the two keys.

"I've messed up some rigging, ma'am, but never intentionally. A guy jumps with one of my chutes, he puts his life in my hands. I never breached that trust, ma'am, never," Ramsey states.

"Now," says Gibbs. She holds up the keys. They are a perfect match.

"Are you gonna tell me that was a plant too?" asks Gibbs curiously

"Had to be. I'm not guilty, ma'am," pleads Ramsey desperately. Gibbs stares at Ramsey, who is on the verge of freaking out.

"What if I was to give you an offer to prove that?" offers Gibbs

"Anything, ma'am," he replies jumping at the chance to prove his innocence.

"Maybe you'd be willing to give us a sample of your DNA," she suggests. Corporal Ramsey looks at Gibbs, distrust written all over his face.

"Someone put that box in my locker and that key on my keychain. How do I know that you don't have my DNA on something else they planted too?" he questions accusingly.

"You don't," replies Gibbs as she smirks at the Corporal.

xX NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**NCIS Headquarters, Bullpen**;

Gibbs is reading a file, or more accurately, she is trying to read the file. She closes it in frustration and tosses like a Frisbee to Tony who manages to catch it without sending papers flying. Gibbs tells Tony to rewrite it in a legible script; Kate looks over Tony's shoulder to read the report. She and Gibbs then start jokingly discus what language Tony is writing in due to his apparently bad handwriting.

"Hey! You were in a rush to read it," cries an indignant Tony. Gibbs just salutes him with her coffee mug and a mock apology.

Tony and Kate start discussing the interviews with the Marines who didn't jump when Abby steps off the elevator and into the offices. She carrying a box with a cotton swab in it. She bounces slightly on her heels as she comes to a stop in the bullpen.

"Corporal Ramsey finally gave it up. His mouth was drier than mummy dust. I had to swap it four times to get a decent DNA sample," she announces.

"How long to test for a match to the skin cells?" asks Gibbs.

"Well, if you want it to runs, drips or errors in court, you've gotta give me 24 hours," answers Abby. Gibbs is irritated by the time restraints.

"Abby, clock's ticking," she warns the Goth. Gibbs sees the Goth glance at Tony and realizes that Abby wants to talk to him about something and is waiting patiently for the others to leave to do so.

"You don't expect a guilty man to give up his DNA," Kate asks confused and surprised.

"Well, he's rolling the dice. Hoping for that one-in-a-million shot it won't match," answers Tony.

"Guilty people do that?" questions Kate.

"All the time," Tony huffs in a mixture of annoyance and amusement. He always enjoyed watching the look on the perp's face when their gamble failed.

"Uh, Kate has a point. What if Ramsey was set up? What if, what if he's innocent? What if he's telling the truth?" wonders Gibbs leaning back in her chair.

"Well we'll know in 24 hours but I wouldn't bet on it," replies Tony confidently.

"Well, you know what, I don't like sitting on my ass waiting for a DNA match," states Gibbs standing up and putting her coat on. Kate gets up as well and grabs her gun.

"They are only two other possible suspects. Corporal Dafelmair or Brinkman," the brunette says holstering her gun.

"No, there's three. You're forgetting Captain Faul. He's got a key to the paraloft," she replies. Gibbs sees Tony getting up putting his holster on.

"Where do you think you're going, bubba? You've got a report to finish," she admonishes him. Gibbs and Kate leave Tony and Abby alone in the bullpen.

Abby walks around Tony's desk and punches him.

"Ow! What was that for?" asks Tony rubbing his shoulder.

"For telling Kate lies that I have whips at my place," she replies glaring at him with her hands on his hips. He smirks.

"So you're not denying that you own chains?" he asks flirtatiously.

"You'll never know," teases Abby as she turns and leaves heading back to her lab.

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**Captain Faul's office**

Gibbs and Kate sit in front of Captain Faul as the two women question him about Sergeant Fuentes.

"Sergeant Fuentes was one of the finest NCOs in my command. He was tough on his riggers, but fair. Ah, I still find it difficult to believe his reporting Corporal Ramsey drove him to murder," says the Captain still shaken by the death of his Marine.

"Corporal Ramsey hasn't been proven guilty yet, Captain," corrects Kate.

"You're holding him. Scuttlebutt is he's confessed," says Captain Faul confidently.

"Never knew a Marine captain who believed scuttlebutt," comments Gibbs grinning at her own statement. Captain Faul does not look amused.

"How did you prepare the day of the exercise?" she asks the Captain wanting to build a timeline of the day.

"I spent the morning in chalk talks with the Naval aviators piloting the C-130," the Captain replies.

"The nest used a Navy bird?" interrupts Gibbs.

"Most of ours are deployed in Iraq," answers Captain Faul.

"You eat lunch with them?" asks Kate steering the Marine back to recounting the day in question.

"At the Officer's Mess. After lunch, we had a couple of dry runs, had another chalk talk, and then loaded up. Why?" he asks at the end.

"Do you have your paraloft key, Captain?" asks Gibbs changing the topic. Faul opens his drawer and pulls out his keychain. He displays his paraloft key to Gibbs.

"Corporal Ramsey must have lifted Sergeant Fuentes's key long enough to make a duplicate," the red head says to the brunette, loudly enough for the Captain to hear.

"Corporal Ramsey made a key to the paraloft?" asks a surprised Faul.

"It's the only way he could have slipped in to sabotage the chutes," states Gibbs as she and Kate stand. Both women shake hands with Faul. He fiddles with keychain.

"Why didn't you just ask to see my key?" asks Faul curiously.

Gibbs pauses at the door. She motions to Kate. "Agent Todd is new, just teaching her how to interrogate," replies Gibbs. A look of realization passes of the Captain's face.

"The paraloft was secured between 09:00 and 18:00. That's why you wanted to know what I was doing all day. You suspected me," he questions the two NCIS agents.

"If the captain were a suspect, we would have read him his rights, wouldn't we?" says Kate to Gibbs, playing along perfectly.

Gibbs smirks "Very good, Agent Todd, very good," she praises the other woman. Kate grins at Captain Faul and follows Gibbs out. Faul watches them leave with a shake of his head.

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**NCIS Headquarters, Bullpen;**

Gibbs and Kate walk out of the elevator onto the floor. Tony hands Gibbs his typed-up report as she passes him.

"The Captain have an alibi?" he asks the two women.

"He was no where near the paraloft when the chutes were sabotaged," Kate informs him.

"Ramsey's the dirt bag," states Tony confidently.

"It could still be Dafelmair or Brinkman," argues Kate. Gibbs takes a seat and reads Tony's report aloud.

"Sergeant Fuentes supervised the riggers handing out chutes".

"Yeah, he watches the riggers from the back of the truck," confirms Tony as he and Kate stand in front of Gibbs desk.

"Ramsey participated?" asks the red head.

"Well, he's on suspension from rigging, not passing out chutes or jumping," explains Tony.

"He could have given Thumper a dirty chute," theorizes the brunette. Gibbs looks up

"What'd you say?" says Gibbs, her mind going a million miles an hour as the puzzle pieces began to fall into place.

"Ramsey. Could have given Thumper a sabotaged chute," she repeats but using different terminology.

"No, you said _dirty_," specifies Gibbs, she gets up quickly and runs to the elevator.

"What?" Kate asks Tony clearly confused.

"With Gibbs, you never know," he explains. Kate and Tony follow Gibbs in confusion.

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**Abby's lab;**

Gibbs, Tony and Kate burst into Abby's lab; she looks up surprised as Gibbs makes a beeline straight for her.

"Abby, I need to see Sergeant Fuentes's reserve chute," she states looking around for the parachutes.

"Might want to take a look at this first," Abby says indicating to her wall monitor as she stands up and walks around her lab desk bringing several images of particles up on screen.

"Now that I'm only running one DNA analysis, I finally had time to do a particle pick on the shroud lines. You're looking at the infrared of Bolivia's best," she explained.

"Cocaine?" Tony asks seeking confirmation.

"The killer's using?" asks Gibbs hoping to be able to drug test the Marine squad to find the killer.

"No, the rock's too pure. The residue on his skin is probably from cutting and weighing," she explains.

"Why don't I think Thumper was killed for reporting Corporal Ramsey's rigging?" says Kate rhetorically.

"Where's Thumper's reserve chute?" Gibbs asks Abby.

"It's over here," she says picking up a plastic wrapped bag, "I already checked it, Gibbs. It's clean," she informs the other woman. Gibbs ignores her and puts on gloves. She lifts the flap of the chute and pulls out the reserve chute and inspects it.

"Know what, it's too clean. Too clean for someone who smashed into a tree and an SUV," she states, she turns to Abby, "Where's the other jump gear we confiscated?"

"I stored it in the Ballistics lab after I tested it," the Goth tells her.

They all go into the other room. Gibbs starts searching through the bagged chutes. The others form a circle around the table watching Gibbs intently

"What're you looking for?" Abby asks hoping to help if she knew what to look for and what she could have missed.

"Ramsey. Dafelmair's. Brinkman's gear. Here's one," she says pulling the plastic wrapped chute closer to make it more accessible, Abby starts cutting the plastic wrap open.

"What are you looking for?" reiterates Tony.

"A screwed pooch," she states referring to a tampered reserve chute.

Abby finds and cuts open the bagged chutes of the other two Marines. Gibbs starts opening them up and taking them apart to check the reserve chute tucked away inside. On the second one, she finds it. She pulls the reserve chute out after seeing the dirt stains on it.

"Here it is, it's dirty," she confirms. She holds it up so the others can read the number "13" printed on side.

"This is the reserve that Thumper jumped with," she states confidently.

"Unlucky thirteen," comments Abby

"Someone pulled a switch after he hit the SUV," suggest Gibbs already realizing who it might have been. Gibbs tests the reserve chute by pulling on the pin. Nothing happens. She flips a flap and sees why. The pull mechanism to release the reserve chute has been soldered together.

"The cones been soldered in place. Doesn't matter if the painkillers slowed his judgment, he couldn't use this chute," she states. Tony starts looking for the name tag on the chute.

"Hey, who's ruck sack is this?" he asks aloud. Gibbs finds the label with the owner's name on it. Everyone shares a look.

"Call Captain Faul. Tell him jump ops can resume, we've got our killer," she says addressing Kate.

"Do I tell him who?" the brunette asks.

"Nope. I don't want DNA evidence, I want this bastard to confess," she announces angrily. Kate nods, and leaves to make call.

"How we gonna do that?" asks Tony not fully following Gibbs line of thought.

"Wear this when we jump," says Gibbs tossing the reserve chute to Tony.

"Jump?" asks Tony clearly nervous as he looks down at the sabotaged reserve chute.

xX NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx

**Airplane, night**;

A line of paratroopers are boarding the C-130 parked outside the hanger. Tony and Gibbs, in full paratrooper regalia, join the procession. They pause when they get to the hatch. Captain Faul looks at them warily now starting to doubt his assumption that the jump had been approved because Ramsey was proven guilty. Now he knew why Gibbs joked that a commanding officer shouldn't believe scuttlebutt.

"Hey, Cap!" Gibbs says cheerfully smiling conspiratorially at him.

"You sure you want to re-up?" asks Captain Faul jokingly.

"I hear there's a war on," she drawls.

"Agent DiNozzo, I can't tell if you're enlisting or just _listing_," the Marine captain jokes. Tony is visibly struggling under the weight of his pack but manages to laugh sarcastically.

"We're going with you, boys. NCIS training mission," lies Gibbs. Captain Faul rolls his eyes.

"Now why don't I believe that?" he says rhetorically. Gibbs stares at him. He thinks it over for a moment knowing that something was up.

"Hell, why not? Hate to pass up the opportunity to toss a couple of NCIS agents out of a plane," he jokes giving Gibbs his hand to haul her aboard.

**The Plane, some time later:**

Tony and Gibbs pretend to ignore that fact that every eye in the Marine squad is on them. Finally Brinkman breaks the silence and asks what his entire squad wants to hear.

"Why you jumping with us, sir?" he asks Tony.

"Always wanted to jump. Agent Gibbs came along to laugh," Tony jokes lightly. No one believes him.

"Hard to believe Dave killed Thumper over a lousy two-week suspension, ma'am," says Dafelmair. Gibbs glances at him.

"Yeah," says Gibbs, her tone not revealing anything.

"Thumper rode him, ma'am. But no more than the rest of us. Just doesn't make sense," comments Brinkman.

Tony looks down at his reserve chute and pretends to have just noticed the number '13' on it. "Oh no!" he calls over the sound of the planes engines.

"What, chickening out?" asks Gibbs playing along. Tony scowls at her and holds up the reserve chute so that everyone can see the number printed on it.

"Thirteen. It's my first jump and my reserve is number thirteen?" he cries adding a touch of nervousness to his voice.

"Wouldn't have bothered Thumper, would it guys?" asks Gibbs watching their reactions. Dafelmair and Brinkman share a look.

"Is either of you superstitious?" asks Gibbs.

"No, Ma'am!" shout Brinkman and Dafelmair together.

"Great!" she exclaims and turns to Tony, "Why don't you swap with Corporal Brinkman?" she suggests. Tony turns to Brinkman.

"What's your reserve chute number?" he asks the Marine. Brinkman moves his hand to read the number.

"Four," he states.

"Four?" repeats Tony, he looks at Gibbs unhappy, thankful that in China '4' and 'death' were so similar giving him an excuse to check Dafelmair's reserve chute number.

"Four is unlucky in China," he explains. Gibbs continues to play along

"We're not _in_ China," she says exasperates.

"I don't care," he argues. He turns to Dafelmair.

"What's your number?" he asks the Marine.

"Eight," replies Dafelmair barely looking at his chute.

Great!" Cries Tony happily. He turns to Gibbs, "Eight's lucky in China," he explains.

Tony takes off his reserve chute and offers it to Dafelmair. Dafelmair just looks at it.

"There a problem?" asks Gibbs as she stares at Dafelmair. Dafelmair hesitates.

"No, ma'am," he answers. Dafelmair unhooks his reserve chute and hands it to Tony, he reluctantly accepts reserve chute '13' and hooks it to his own pack. He stares at Gibbs the whole time.

An alarm beeps.

"Stand up!" instructs Captain Faul.

The men and Gibbs grasp hands to haul each other up to their feet in the cramped space. Gibbs and Dafelmair help each other. Neither looks pleased and continue to stare each other down. Dafelmair breaks eye contact first and takes the lead in the string, Gibbs right behind him.

"Hook up!" shouts Faul motioning with his arms.

The men hook their chutes on to the static lines and start to move forward towards the hatch.

"Thumper ride you, Corporal Dafelmair?" Gibbs asks accusingly.

"He rode everybody, ma'am" defends Dafelmair.

"Bout being a drug dealer?" she accuses. Dafelmair stops and stares at her. Gibbs points at Dafelmair's reserve chute.

"That's his reserve chute you're wearing. The one you switched on him when he landed," she informs him. He looks down at chute, worriedly.

"Don't know what you're talking about, ma'am," he says worriedly hoping that the sound of the engines would hide his distress.

"You were the first one down. First one to get to Thumper. Ramsey was helping Brinkman out of a tree," states Tony repeating the known facts of the tragic incident.

"What's he saying, Paul?" demands Brinkman, his anger growing.

"I don't know!" lies Dafelmair.

"Only takes a couple of minutes to switch a bad chute for a good one," comments Tony. Dafelmair can feel everyone on the plane looking at him in growing accusation.

"Marine Corps gave you a second chance. When Thumper found out you soiled the uniform by dealing drugs, he wouldn't do it!" shouts Gibbs.

"I thought Corporal Ramsey was guilty," shouts Faul, already knowing that it wasn't the case, the murder was still free, but not for long.

"He _is_, sir!" shouts Dafelmair aggressively.

Gibbs draws a small pocketknife. Everyone's eyes widen.

"If I'm wrong Corporal. Prove it," she orders cutting Dafelmair's main chute line.

"What the hell you doing? His main can't open," demands Faul shocked by the woman's actions.

"He's got a reserve!" she shouts. Dafelmair is extremely scared for his own life

"Captain, this is nuts! You gonna put a stop to this, sir?" screams a very nervous Dafelmair. Everyone looks at each other. It's a tense moment. The alarm beeps again. Captain Faul checks his watch.

"Thirty seconds 'til drop," he says more to Gibbs than to his men.

"A confession right now of your drug supplier will get you a deal," she offers to Dafelmair. He thinks about it for a few seconds and asks how good the deal is.

"Read him his Article 31s," she instructs Tony as she sneers at the drug dealer. Tony moves past Brinkman.

"You have the right to remain silent," he begins but is cut of as Brinkman attacks Dafelmair and in the confusion of the scuffle, Tony is knocked out of the plane. He screams on the way down. Gibbs runs to the hatch to look out. She sees that Tony's canopy as already opened and let's out a sigh of relief.

"Goodbye, DiNozzo! She yells out after him, "Dam. Didn't get to kick him out myself," she mutters to her self. Tony can be heard shouting 'woohoo!' as he descends.

Tony lands in a field, unharmed. He laughs joyfully as he finds himself completely uninjured. He takes his first step towards the road when he trips on a rock and twists his left ankle.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" he yells in pain.

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**NCIS Headquarters, Bullpen;**

Tony is standing in front of the bullpen watching the television is playing a news broadcast. Sgt. Fuentes's picture is on the screen with the image of a waving American Flag behind him. Kate has already left leaving Tony and Gibbs alone together in the bullpen. Tony complains over how NCIS never makes it onto the news while Gibbs jokes back that Tony could have made it on the news if he'd broken his neck jumping. Tony prepares to leave.

"You coming to the bar? Abby insists that we all go out to celebrate Kate's first case with us, Ducky's already gone home though," says Tony. Gibbs responds that she will meet them there without looking up from her report. Tony leaves. Gibbs watches him limp past, favoring his right leg, and smiles. Then her cell phone rings. She drops her pen and flips open the cell, and sees "Caller ID Withheld" on the screen. Gibbs stands up and throws the phone into a drawer.

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**A Bar:**

"To Kate's first case," cheers Abby as they clink their glasses together as they sat in a corner booth together. They start swapping stories as each person tells the story of their first case.

"Gibbs, how did you get into all this?" she asks. Gibbs puts down her glass.

"Firstly we're off the clock so just call me Jen, Secondly I was re-assigned to NIS after I helped with a case back when I was a Marine. Bout a month or so later NIS became NCIS," she answers giving barely anything away.

"Why Jen, your first name is Leanne?" asks the brunette.

"I prefer Jen," explains Jen. Kate nods.

"How's your leg Tony?" asks Abby having noticed Tony's limp that seemed to magically disappear whenever Kate was looking. Tony smirks and begins to exaggerate the pain.

"Hey Jen, want to kiss it better?" he asks suggestively moving his left leg closer to her.

"In your dreams Tony," she replies daring him to say anything more. Tony leans back in his seat and closes his eyes.

"Mmmm, oh yeah, oh Jen," he moans, pretending to be asleep until Gibbs whacks the back of his head. She glares at him. Tony wisely offers to buy the next round. Gibbs declines, saying that she'll be leaving shortly and that she has something to do in the morning.

"Oh come on Jen, one more drink with us before you go home and work on your boat. You'll only end up drinking by your self anyway," begs Abby comically. Everyone else chuckles. Gibbs doesn't relent and leaves while the others head to the bar to buy the next round.

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**Fuentes residence, early morning;**

Billy Fuentes comes out of the house in his pajamas, drawn by the sound of hammering outside. He looks up at his tree house and sees Gibbs, hammering a board into place as a railing.

"Can I come up?" asks Billy.

"You got a password?" she asks the boy as she pauses.

"Yes, ma'am. Semper Fi!" he says happily. Gibbs grins broadly.

"That's a good password. Come on up," she says. Billy climbs up to the tree house. He and Gibbs work together to finish building the tree house.

**xX NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS X NCIS Xx**

I would dedicate this chapter to Aussie-samurai and Twilitefan for their continued encouragement as I wrote this chapter.

I would like to once again thank my Beta reader for all her help with this chapter, she has been teaching me a lot about the differences between American English and Australian English.

Did you catch the reference I made of another TV show?


End file.
